Pain is the Pleasure, it Gets No Better
by evil ducks army
Summary: Slightly AU. What happens after London? After Daniel has followed Betty to give love another shot? Sometimes life has a twisted way of turning tables and throwing rules around. What if in light of love? He's found himself a secret, losing grips on reality and the only person that can hold him together?
1. Just Put Your Skin, Baby, On My Skin

**Author's Note: **This story will have it's lemony moments, though nothing to crazy, since I suck at them and my lemony half of the EDA has graciously agreed to beta for me. I know my summaries suck but before you complete burn me at stake for my Angsty Detty ways, I really do love the pair and not just because Eric Mabius is sex on legs. It will get better if you bear with me :)

**July 23, 2012 - **As some of you can see I named this chapter and the next, mostly because a lot of these chapters were inspired by songs I tend to have on loop as I'm writing and if you want and if you like some music and such I think the songs might be able to help set up the ambiance.

This title comes from Skin by Rihanna ;)

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How had she gotten into this point in her life? Betty had always been the smart one, the sensible one, the _good_ one and Daniel had _always_ been her best friend but what were they now? Now that he had her perched on a desk in London, _her_ desk that she had worked her ass off to earn in _her_ office that she _deserved_ after years of doing everyone else's grunt work _his_ to be specific, her white silk shirt un tucked from the form fitting pencil skirt, bunched up around her hips, the buttons undone revealing a lacy red bra… He loved that color on her, he'd told her how it drove him crazy to just watch her swish by and not rip her clothes off her on a regular day, but in red… Well that red dress happens to be the reason behind the entire sordid tryst. Why was she even trying to justify this anymore? There was no way to defend this, they were well beyond sordid affair and straight into addiction, temptation and _fire_ but for once Betty couldn't bring herself to do the good, moral, _right_ thing. Why should_ she_have to be the one to do it? It was always her that others depended on to be the level head but when Daniel's hand were setting every inch of her on fire, disappearing underneath her skirt, into her hair, wherever they could and when his lips were attached to her neck just dipping lower and lower tightening that bundle of nerves in the pit of her stomach in a deliciously nervous way. It felt like lightening coursing through her veins and she didn't want to stop it no matter how wrong it was, no matter how upside down this entire thing was.

Daniel had come to London and though he had said it was for himself Betty had known better, and he knew she had known even back then, despite what the world liked to think of Daniel Meade, despite the fact that sometimes even those closest to him doubted it, he wasn't a dense man and he was actually quite on the ball most of the time, and though his choice in women up until Molly had been questionable and tasteless at best, Betty had always known him to have the best of hearts and maybe that was what had made this transition from best of friends to sex driven affair incredibly easy for her. The mind blowing sex with a beautiful man who she had known for over six years might have also had something to do with it but it really was hard to over analyze things when Daniel had practically ripped her bra off.

"Hey! I still need that I've got a meeting in thirty minutes." Betty tried to look upset though her normally bright and cheery eyes had darkened into something a little less Betty and something a little more… well, Daniel to be honest. Her time in London had definitely changed her, gone was the insecure, albeit strong girl that the former playboy of the Meade Empire had once done his best to sabotage and get rid of (and still thought about from time to time, never feeling any less guilt), gone was his quirky little friend and sidekick, the girl he depended on to tell him when to breathe and here was the woman who without…. He would be nothing. Daniel knew that what they were doing it wasn't right, their situation wasn't ideal, but his feelings for her, that could never be wrong and given the heady noises she was making just feeling his shaky breath on her neck, or the way her hands were practically shaking in anticipation of what they were both waiting for… She just had to feel the same.

If it weren't for his damned brother, if only she hadn't have let him in, if only Daniel had been faster, _braver_….

There were so many should have, could have, would haves that if Daniel stopped to think about them for one second he might have gone mad… So he didn't, he pushed those thoughts to the dark recesses of his mind, Daniel didn't care that Betty was with Tyler and despite the fact that they had long ago accepted one another, they were no closer then before and in fact Daniel resented the man for waltzing into the picture 35 years later and taking the _one_ thing that Daniel would never share. He could have had Mode, the Meade riches, Daniel would have given it up, (although he really did like that comfortable cushion his designer label covered ass rested on) all of it without the bat of an eye for _her_. Even their mother had seen it when Daniel had been too stubborn to do so and _still_ Tyler had come to London, of all places, to take a job offer from Dunn Publications for a fashion magazine… All of it smelled entirely too fishy for Daniel when he'd finally had the courage and resolve to find Betty, to leave it all behind for _her_. To make up for having left her when she needed him most, to reiterate to her that he just _couldn't_live without her… Daniel refused to.

Only to find out at dinner, what he thought was the start of _their_ something special, that she had run across Tyler a month after she'd gotten to London and that in their support for one another, in their friendship, they had been dating for six months before Daniel had gotten the nerve to see the one he let slip away once again. How he'd never known was beyond him and somewhere in the back of his mind, where Daniel did his best to keep all the dark thoughts away… He knew, Tyler was smart enough to know that their mother would have told _him_ in a heartbeat at first word of Betty it was like the daughter Claire Meade had always wanted… Aside from Alexis but that's an entirely too complicated story altogether. Daniel could never shake the thoughts that Tyler was bitter, and angry, that Tyler was trying to take away the one thing that Daniel honest to God loved, he didn't like to bring it up to Betty because it always ended badly for him and best for Tyler and the thought of her and him in bed together, in a flat that they _shared_… He just couldn't stomach it, and he just couldn't and _wouldn't_ have her mind or heart on anyone that wasn't _him_, she was his and that was that.

His actions mimicked his acts without skipping a beat, teeth dragged across beautifully tanned, dusky skin, he could feel her racing pulse on his tongue and it did great things to his ego among other things and his previously playfully rough hands, tugged the rest of her shirt open leaving it to hang limply off her arms and hoisted up the skirt, making it even easier for him to wrap those delectably soft legs around him and grind against her in way that only made it harder for them both to keep their grips on sanity.

"Then I guess you should be thanking me for making sure you get the client's approval, you're such a tease Ms. Suarez do you know that? Do you know what you do to men? Do you have any idea what you do to me?" And to accentuate his point, Daniel ground himself into Betty, the restricting binds their clothes provided only served to frustrate and excite them both endlessly.

"Less talking, less clothes, more you… _please_" Betty begged and Daniel had to admit the sound of her pleading, her full lips pouting and her eyes so full of a primal instinctual need, something he had never once seen in Betty before a year ago and it took a lot of restraint not to bend her over the desk instead and have his way… Today just didn't feel like that kind of day though… Tomorrow might be though, and the thought made a smirk grow on the man's lips to the woman's irritation and arousal. If he was going to make her work for it any more, she'd go insane and she'd take care of this herself… Something he'd seen her do and though it had led to a night of perpetual surprises, Betty just wanted _Daniel_ to do what no other man could do for her, to excite her, to use her, to make her feel desired, and to somehow be the sweetest and most excruciatingly good lay of her 28 years of life.

Her hands didn't hesitate in removing his belt expertly and sliding down the zipper, she was done playing and she was going to get what she wanted from Daniel because she was tired of all the games he played with her all day, all the messages, the reminders of the night before, the way his eyes just burned themselves into her soul and practically haunted her in her sleep. Those deep cerulean eyes that sometimes Betty couldn't bring herself to look at because they reminded her of what she blatantly refused to accept. Daniel didn't push her though because sometimes with Betty if you pushed you got a brick wall and then sometimes when you pushed her… You were pushed away, he had learned all too quickly and as much as the thought of her being with anyone else killed him he just couldn't find it in him to push her any further then this, and for now this would have to do, until she learned that she didn't have to always have to be perfect for everyone… He just wanted her to let him in, to trust him, something she had made painfully clear wouldn't be happening given his extensive history _despite_ Molly despite the fact that he'd given everything up in New York to be a journalist for the Guardian, someone that they didn't even take seriously because he was a "fashion" editor that had been _given_ the job by his father, he was a two hundred word columnist on a good day and made nothing near what he was used to but for Betty it was OK, to learn how to work and earn his own way Daniel was ecstatic and despite the constant come ons from women in the work place and out on the town, none of them could take his attention from the woman who had her hands shoved quite dominatingly down the front of his pants, a smug look on her face that his distractions had suddenly diminished with every light, teasing tug and caress.

"You know some of us actually have work to do Daniel and if you'd rather I could always just call-"

She didn't get any further then her almost mean hearted teasing before his lips had crashed forcefully into hers, his hands coming up to grab her face keeping her in place, it was one thing to know what happened every night after they left one another but for her to use it against him so he could just rush things along, it was painful but beyond that, it was almost like a dare to his masculinity and he was not going to let her get away with that.

Daniel pushed the red lace hipsters that accompanied Betty's bra aside letting one hand slide off her face and gently tickle a trail down the front of her body, his body shivering at each and every female contour and mound until he reached that treasured spot, waiting for him and he just couldn't keep it in him to deny her any longer. Despite Betty's pushing though she hadn't seemed to be expecting the sudden intrusion of Daniel's fingers and she instantly moaned into their kiss, her nails digging into Daniel's expensive designer jacket as she did her best not to let his ministrations get the best of her but the deeper he explored her folds, not showing the least bit of concern for being in her office, Betty could only roll her head back and do her best not to be loud as Daniel rhythmically pumped two fingers into the woman making her hips rock against the man's hand and body shiver while the man who had her at his control took claim of an exposed nipple, drawing it into his mouth slowly, biting down on it gently, greatly pleased to hear the sort of choked out scream and renewed bucking as he continued his harsh love of her body.

Betty for her part though could do nothing but fight the urge to just scream out in a haze of pleasurable insanity. Screw her meeting, she just wanted Daniel to take her back to his apartment and take her on every surface he could, she just wanted to get lost in him to be the couple she vehemently shot down. Betty just couldn't trust Daniel to be satisfied with _her_ of all people though why did he love her _now_? Because she was more "conventionally" pretty? Because her braces were gone as was some extra weight and from time to time she might even wear contact lenses? It felt as shallow as their explicit free time did and as much as Betty hated the woman she was becoming she couldn't deny that just the chance to be with Daniel on_ some_ level was what she wanted. Then again when a man could make your entire body shiver with just a look it was difficult to deny him.

It was hard for either of them to speak at this point, for her part Betty could only keep a tight grip on the man in front of her, muffling her moans into the collar of his jacket not really caring if she wrinkled the material or not and finding that the subtle scent of his expensive designer cologne only drove her senses into overtime as she struggled with herself not to look _too_ desperate for this man's affection but he knew her better then anyone else and the deep chuckle that rolled up from his chest that sent shockwaves coursing through her only told her that her fight to keep unattached was as amusing as it was frustrating.

Daniel knew he hadn't had the best of records when he met Betty, hell he'd even started sleeping with one of her best friends as an attempt to get back into the dating pool after Molly had died but Betty had never said anything against it… That he could recall and anything she had to say couldn't have been taken as much seeing as she had her own relationship troubles at that point. No, Daniel wasn't the best of men and he was willing to accept that but Betty was no white dove and there would be a couple of exes that would take Daniel's side in saying that Betty just didn't know how _not_ to get her way. He couldn't blame her though, it was a part of what made the woman addictive, her get it done attitude that got her to where she was today in such a short span of time with really no help from him, because had Daniel had it his way, Betty would have stayed in New York, tied to his bed and that would have been the end of that but he supposed that there was something about this game that only made him want her more. That didn't mean it frustrated him any less to know that she was in a relationship with the one man he just couldn't fathom for Betty, there was something that Daniel didn't trust about his half brother and it wasn't just the fact that he was half a Hartley, it felt like everything Daniel had Tyler wanted to take away. Betty called it paranoia, Daniel called it instincts there was just something off about the fact that some small town redneck from nowhere would seem so keen about taking some modeling gig in London, it just didn't add up to him and then to wind up with _Betty_, Daniel's Betty of all people in the world it just left a bitter taste in his mouth that despite the fact that he could get Betty to do things no man could before (straight from her mouth, no pun intended) and despite the six years of friendship between the pair and the connection on a level no other person would ever match, Daniel could feel Betty was trying to pull away as though she owed Tyler something just because neither brother liked the other very much and it did upset him that she would put _him_ before Daniel, it was a slap to the face is what it was. As if all those years of friendship and support hadn't meant a thing. Daniel wasn't fool enough to believe that it had been a 50/50 relationship or even sixty forty but Betty was a strong woman and when she had needed a shoulder, who's was it that she always leaned on? Now to see his half brother just come in a second earlier and take her from him, it made him angry at himself, at Tyler, and yes... at Betty as well. She wasn't an idiot she had known what he wanted when he'd asked her to dinner nearly two years ago it was why she'd cut him off before he could get a word in edgewise but she hadn't counted on the fact that Daniel wouldn't take no as an answer and that's what led them to this little predicament.

Daniel wanted to be soft with Betty, to take his time and bring her to the brink of madness time and again for hours on end, never having to worry about who would see them holding hands or sharing a kiss, he wanted to be the one going on trips to Paris to visit DJ and Alexis with her. Daniel wanted to be the one that everyone congratulated, not his alcoholic, rageaholic, blue collar bodunk brother who had nearly killed his mother in a drunken stupor. Just because the man was a bastard and unwanted, because he was raised by a nice family and had battled his demons alone he was a saint that deserved Betty? Daniel called horseshit and if any one would know horseshit better the man of wealth figured that it would be some farmer from a sleepy town. Instead though, Daniel was a dirty little secret kept in a corner and making lunch visits to her office when they couldn't meet in his apartment. Daniel was the one that had to wait for her to call because if he called _Tyler_ would get upset. It was enough to drive the man mad and it made him angry and he couldn't help but to take it out on her when she left herself to him and his desires but Daniel could see beneath the wincing and whimpers… Betty loved the abuse and it was a surprise and an incredible turn on to know that his once innocent assistant would turn into such a seductress.

He could tell the Latin beauty was close by the expression on her face, her eyes were clenched shut and her mouth hung open while her hips bucked and she let out low sounds of pleasure that were nearly breathless and almost silent. Daniel didn't know how much longer he'd be able to stand of just watching her, it was enough to drive a saint to sin and he couldn't help but smirk at the look of utter disappointment and want when he withdrew his fingers from her body slowly, a small chuckle caught in his throat at the way she shamelessly seemed to want to follow. Betty opened her eyes, ready to beg only to find herself catching sight of Daniel tasting her on his fingers and the woman almost lost herself right then. Their eyes stayed locked on one another's as Daniel took a long slow lick of his fingers, relishing every delicious bit of the woman before him and somehow even more turned on by the look she was giving him.

"Please Daniel, no more games… I need you." The woman begged once again, pulling down his pants and grabbing onto his length and leading it to her core. Wasting no more time and finally taking into consideration her pleas, Daniel thrust into Betty with no remorse and sent the woman reeling in pleasure as she threw herself onto the hard wood desk, giving her former boss full control and a complete view of just how crazy he made her and for his part Daniel had to do his best to keep from coming right then and there. It was a difficult thing to do though, with the way Betty arched off the desk preening his ego as he fought with himself not to ask her if Tyler had ever made her come like he did. He just didn't want that man brought into this, this was their own little corner away from the world, despite the hard love and the rough sex, it was _them_ it was just them two for sixty minutes, to do whatever they wanted, however they wanted. He rocked into the woman roughly, grabbing her hips and pushing them down against his making Betty writhe on the desk, knocking down her pictures and layouts for the next months issues. He loved watching her lose control because as soon as they were done and she walked out of that office door, she was once again Betty the editor, the caring yet stern boss that got things done and didn't take no for an answer. Daniel was the only one that knew that not five minutes earlier he'd had her on her knees begging him to take her it was a stupefying power that Daniel wasn't willing to give up.

Wrapping Betty's legs around his waist Daniel let his hands travel across Betty's body, to the voluptuous curves that made her a woman stopping for a moment to shower her with affection and kisses, to draw in a dusky peak into his mouth and be gentle with her, if only for a moment his eyes focused on her watching with great enthusiasm the way each and every touch warranted some sort of reaction from her, something new every time and it was just an intoxicating thing to be a first hand witness to. Kissing a path up to her lips Daniel slowed their pace down to something that resembled love making and with a hand wrapped across her throat the man pressed his lips to Betty's once again, dipping his tongue into the woman's mouth letting her taste herself and it was enough to make the woman's toes curl as she felt the knot in the pit of stomach tightening once again and she couldn't help but to bite down harshly on Daniel's lip, this was only supposed to be sex, she couldn't let her heart get more involved then it already was and if he kept on being so gentle Betty would forget that she just needed him to make her hit that peak she never had she didn't love Daniel Meade… She just couldn't.

Daniel saw the change in Betty almost immediately, for a moment he'd seen the sweet girl that had won his heart over with her "change the world attitude" the girl who would let you run her over and still get up and make sure _you_ were fine, people called it naïve, Daniel had called it a good heart but she was losing that aspect of herself the further they delved into whatever they were and Daniel wasn't so sure he wanted to keep this up if it ended up changing her from the woman he loved, to just another woman willing to step on hands and stab people's back if it meant getting her way. Betty was smart enough to get her way by more peaceful standards, was it him that was ruining her to that?

"The longer you think about doing it, the faster I'm losing interest." Betty whispered breathlessly which betrayed her words but regardless, that rare moment of tender affection that one shared with the other was gone and back was the almost business like manner of their entanglements.

With a hand still wrapped around Betty's delicate throat Daniel wrapped his free hand around the woman's slim waist and picked her back, his slow tender pace picking up roughly and now instead of the smooth and sure, fluid movements there was a primal almost angry cadence to his rhythm.

Words were useless at this point and Daniel couldn't bring himself to look his former assistant in her eyes though his hands stayed put, the one around her throat tightening fractionally the closer he reached his breaking point but he refused to fall off the edge without Betty in tow. His eyes were shut tight, a look of angry determination was etched onto his face as he rocked their bodies against the desk, threatening to pick her up with every forceful thrust of his hips and for her part Betty could only grip her nails into the man's jacket, trying her best to tear into the skin as her teeth sank into the available juncture of his neck making Daniel practically lose his control right then and there seeing as he was already holding on to it by a thread.

A string of curse words left the woman's full lips and he knew she was fighting with herself not to let go and as angry as he was at how she was treating their situation he couldn't help but to smirk and pick up her face roughly, his eyes lit with a spark that Betty could only describe as 'Daniel' but before she could get in another word, the man once again took his claim of her lips roughly and Betty could only moan into the kiss loudly, letting out a scream when his pace had found her sweet spot and having picked up on it Daniel made sure to pound back into her, hitting that same spot every time thrilled to watch her eyes begin to tear.

"Come for me." He whispered hoarsely into her ears and it was as if that was all, the woman needed before she felt her walls clench and for the knot building up in the pit of her stomach to come undone. Daniel did his best to hold back, to lose himself in Betty's thrill, in her faces and the small purrs of pleasure as her body went entirely stiff then entirely flex and it was all the man could withstand before he let himself go and plummeted off the peak he had been treading on for what felt like eternity.

Betty's named rolled off Daniel's lips like a plea, like a curse, like an obsession and all of it was true. There was no other person on this earth that could do to him what Betty did and there was no other way he'd have it. Daniel refused to let loose his hold on Betty though because he knew the moment he did reality would hit hard once again and he wasn't ready to lose her, he wanted to stay in their own little corner of the world where Tyler didn't exist, where her job wasn't more important, where he could just _have _Betty without having to _have her_. If it didn't involve sex she didn't want to be involved with him and the slow but steady loss of their friendship over a relationship Daniel couldn't help but to call a sham it killed him, it was a constant twisting blade in his heart that the longer he kept his grip on her, the more he just wanted her to stay with him.

"Daniel I need to put my clothes on, I'm already going to be late." That was the new Betty, the businesswoman. The faithful girlfriend. The one who no longer had a need for Daniel Meade in her life. Clearing his throat and letting out a curt nod Daniel unwrapped himself from Betty feeling suddenly very cold and void without her warmth but the look in her eyes told Daniel that her warmth for him had left long ago despite what any of their trysts cared to contradict. He wanted this to be simpler, he wanted to let the world know who he loved, he was tired of being thought of as a playboy or a man in mourning, he wanted to move on to the next chapter in his life but without Betty how was that possible? It was all too much to think about after what had just happened and though he knew he should have felt satisfied or at least somewhat sated by their actions, it just wasn't the case. In fact he felt even worse then before, he was too old for these games, he was done with having to put himself on the line for her if they were meant to be shouldn't that mean the sacrifices are mutual and though he could never forget all the things she'd done for him as a friend and an assistant, as a love interest Daniel had never met someone as one sided as his lovely Betty.

The transformation of Betty Suarez, Editor in Chief never ceased to amaze Daniel, as ever button was done up, bra fixed and skirt rolled down there was no evidence of what had just happened, of how he'd controlled her. Not as she picked up her papers throwing them haphazardly back onto her dark oak desk and running a hand through her thick dark mane of smoothed down hair. The woman didn't look him in the eye, didn't even utter a single word to him as she picked up a briefcase that lay fallen beside the desk. Betty only looked at Daniel to make sure the man was dressed and presentable, which for Daniel Meade was about as easy a task as could be given and before Daniel could open his mouth, Betty was taking a forkful of the orange chicken in a white takeout box they hadn't had a chance to savor before opening her door, stopping at the doorway to finally look at the man standing behind her desk looking entirely the part of a kicked puppy looking for love and it just _killed_ Betty to know this was the way it just had to be.

"So next week, why don't we go to OneSixFive, I'm tired of being in the office all the time. Bye Daniel! I hate to dine and dash but you know how busy things can get." And that fake cheeriness, that polished smile, it was getting harder and harder to accept the fact that Betty was no longer the sweet and innocent girl out of Queens… She was now Ms. Betty Suarez, Editor in Chief on her way to the top and if you stood in her way, it was your funeral.

"Sounds great…" Daniel muttered to himself, leaving the takeout boxes for when she got back, he knew she'd be hungry and he'd gotten her favorite Daniel just wanted to make sure she was fine but this was all new territory to him and with her fighting every step of the way, sometimes he just didn't know what to do…. For now though, he'd leave it as is, wait for her in his apartment next week, and take a walk to clear his head right now. After all there wasn't much he could do sitting here and moping like a lovestruck fanboy and besides the longer he stayed in this office the more memories of the past few months hit him and the harder it was starting to get _not _to just turn back and head back to New York to try an clear his head in Central Park. For now, until at least he could have his friend back though, walking through Hyde Park would have to suffice, though it's not exactly as though that would be such a burden to the man who walked out of Betty's office with a wry grin, waving his goodbye to Betty's young assistant and headed towards the elevator doors. It wasn't ideal... But it was his life, and the life of Daniel Meade had been far from ideal for quite some time now.


	2. Someone's Gotta Take The Lead, Tonight

**Author's Note: ** You guys have NO idea how much your reviews made me smile, I was seriously thinking this story would be a huge flop and though I am still not convinced by the story (as much as I really do love the plot bunny in my head) I hope the developments the story takes will be worth the read and I don't cheat your guys' expectations! I seriously love that the two writers who's stories I absolutely ADORE and kind of nudged me into writing this up too are praising me it's so super awesome. Now I had thought this chapter wouldn't include much smut, but Betty just can't control herself ;) Hope you guys like it! And Reviews are hot monkey love, hehe

**Song: Unthinkable (remix) - Alicia Keys Ft. Drake.**

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"I was thinking we could get Chinese for dinner." Tyler called out from the shower while Betty rested on their queen sized plush bed a disarray of articles and magazine pages littered around her as her legs were curled underneath her a hard look of concentration etched onto her features. Without thinking twice about it Betty called out to her boyfriend of close to two years.

"No thanks babe, Daniel stopped by my office today and brought me some from that really great place on Lexington."

"Why was he there?" His tone drew Betty out of her deep concentration and she was glad Tyler wasn't out to see the look on her face of having royally screwed up just bringing up his name. Betty didn't understand what it was that pinned each sibling against one another but brotherly love certainly didn't have a place in the Meade household.

"You know we like to get together now and again Ty what's the big deal? We've been friends for years I know that you don't get it but I already told you I'm not giving up Daniel just to soothe your ego." Her boyfriend had every reason to be upset though, when Daniel was having more sex with Betty in a week then Tyler got to in a month. It wasn't the simple fact that Betty felt guilty (because as horrible as it sounded, Betty didn't lose much sleep over what she was doing) being with both brothers but sometimes it was easier to have sex a la carte and ready made to order when Daniel stopped by her office. Tyler had his crazy streak in him and they had even had a few rendezvous of their own in Betty's office but there was a reason Daniel had been labeled a sex addict… an entirely legitimate reason. Betty hated that she had gotten herself into this situation but how could she control what it was her heart wanted? She loved Tyler he was nothing like his brother, labels didn't matter to him he'd found her cute even when she would wear every pattern and pleat she could get her hands on. He knew what it was like to work from the ground up to build yourself up and the value of taking an opportunity when it called for you.

Yet as different as they were, the similarities were just as striking, even though Daniel had never needed it, his worth ethic was strong something Tyler prided himself on and Betty admired in _both _men. Their sense of humor was eerily similar and they both always seemed to want what the other had…

Betty knew it was horrible of her to think that way, that Daniel only wanted her and only moved to London because Tyler had gotten to her first because if that had been the case all of this would have gone entirely differently. Daniel wouldn't have waited as long as he had to cast caution to the wind and he would have left once he was done with her. Betty doubted he would have been as discrete as he was being as well because even if they were friends Betty knew that the chance to get a dig in on his brother was something too tempting for Daniel to pass up. But he hadn't done any of that, not a thing, he played the part of a dirty little secret as well as any man in love could but Betty had told him that she wouldn't leave Tyler to be with him because the woman just could never be sure with Daniel what it was he wanted from her.

She knew he did love her to some extent six years of friendship, support, and fiascos did a lot for the heart and bond of two people but Betty couldn't wrap her mind around exactly _why_. Daniel had grown there was no question about it, the playboy of the Meade empire had long vacated the premises and it was plain to see that he was looking for something with more substance then size six spray tans custom built from the ground up. Betty hated to admit that she had always hated the girls Daniel hung out with, she didn't like to think she had low self esteem but sometimes constantly hearing you're a dog makes you want to gnaw on a Barbie doll, especially when they all cast their judgment on Betty and Daniel's best defense was just to wave her off as a buddy. She may not have particularly liked him when they first met and may not have had an _real_ attraction to the man back then but he sure knew how to make her second guess herself all the time.

Betty knew she hadn't been the most fashionably coordinated and that from time to time nowadays she had to ask Daniel for shopping advice, which was as adorably dorky, awkward and borderline questionable as it sounded but who would know what looked better on a woman's body then Daniel? Granted sometimes it led to what clothes he'd _prefer_ to see her in and just how quickly he'd be getting her out of said clothes… Sometimes shopping advice from the former fashion editor ended in less clothes and more skin but Betty was perfectly fine with that and she hated herself for it. A part of her was excited at the prospect of being with Daniel when she was with his brother because who would ever suspect anything of sweet, safe Betty? She was almost a saint in the eyes of so many that to be seen as an adulteress was exciting on some mentally scarred level. Daniel said he loved her but the more involved they became and the hotter the sex got, sometimes Betty had to wonder if maybe he was just excited to know the fact that _he_ was the reason Betty had become such a harlot.

Only for him though, Betty would never think to do or ask to do the things Daniel did to Betty without thinking, not to Tyler or any other man there was something about the fact that Daniel could and would do anything she wanted just by looking at her, sensing the mood she was in and his own and it was electric with him, she hated to admit to feeling something more for her boss then sex and even if she knew he was no longer the same man from six years ago, even if she knew he was close to resembling something akin to a fully grown adult (he never would grow up entirely, Betty accepted it because it's what she loved about him) and Betty knew that casual sex wasn't what Daniel was in this for but the man's records with relationships just wasn't something that the Mexican woman could be OK with. Everything in her heart told her that she wasn't like the other girls and that he would always take care of her just like he'd done as friends but her mind just kept telling her that his attention span wasn't the greatest and while Betty was no plain Jane, she was nowhere close to what it was she knew that Daniel was used to in a woman.

Tyler on the other hand, he'd taken things slow with her, he'd made her feel special and like she was the only one in his life _with_ their clothes on. Betty may not have given Daniel that chance but it was only because she was only too sure that the things he'd tell her had been heard by half of the women of Manhattan and her heart wouldn't have been able to take being the joke around Mode no matter how much a part of both their pasts that was.

The woman was so deep into her own conflicts very easily filtered through to her face that she didn't notice when her boyfriend walked out of the bathroom, a white fluffy towel clinging low to his hips and every part of him looking sheepish and somewhat remorseful about starting a fight over his half brother. Noticing her trouble Tyler didn't think twice to kneel at her feet, his hands rubbing her knees soothingly making Betty shoot out of her own world back into reality, her eyes locking on eyes that reminded her almost painfully of the only person that her heart literally _cried_ for.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry babe I know you hate that we don't like each other and I'm sorry I get so defensive about him but I love you and sometimes it feels like you're spending more time with him and I don't want this to turn into one of your other relationships Betty. _ I_ want to be the one you trust enough to talk to and call up for spur of the moment lunch dates, I don't see you as much anymore and when I hear about you two-"

"-Tyler it's fine I'm sorry I snapped I just have a lot to get ready for next month's issues and one of my writer's is out on maternity leave and I just haven't been able to-" Betty didn't know why it was that her voice started to crack, aside from the fact that the more she looked into Tyler's eyes, the more she wished to be seeing Daniel and for him to be holding her and it was really starting to hit her just what it was she was doing when straight out of her boyfriend's mouth she'd just heard that Daniel had always had more power in her relationships than even she did. Slowly but surely, Betty could feel the guilt creeping up on her and all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and die. She wasn't strong enough to handle a relationship with the infamous Daniel Meade, to hear all the rumors about just _how_ long they had been together, the surefire rumors of her sleeping her way to the top and how her own personal transformation was all for him. Betty could see all the tabloids in her mind and Suzuki St. Pierre looking to make it his own personal mission in life to make theirs a living hell. Betty wasn't strong enough to handle the rumors of him sleeping with other women or that she was simply the rebound from his saint of a deceased wife. It was hard enough to deal with those thoughts on her own, but to have them thrown back in your face in high definition? Betty wasn't made for the spotlight and that was something that in the life of Daniel Meade you either accepted, or you accepted.

"Hey now baby girl, come here." Tyler's concern shown through his warm baby blues so sincerely that Betty's resolve broke and she felt herself tremble in the man's tight grip. She couldn't help but to love him but Betty also knew that he in no way whatsoever compared to Daniel but to be apologizing to _her_ for being paranoid of something he had every right to act suspicious about, Betty didn't resist Tyler when he laid them down on the plush comforter, her work forgotten as she lay pressed against her boyfriend who soothingly ran his hand through her hair while keeping the other wrapped around her shoulders letting the woman cry. "I know it's a lot on your plate but you are Betty Suarez, you're the girl who brought Mode back from the dead time and again, I know it must feel like hell right now babe and I know we haven't had the chance to get back to New York in almost a year but look at me." Betty refused to look up until she felt his gentle yet firm tilt of her chin. Their eyes locked and though the guilt in Betty was piling up her boyfriend's smiling eyes and warmth took some of the weight off her chest… if only for that moment.

"I'm here for you, for anything, and as much as I hate Daniel, he ain't goin' no where just promise me one thing darlin'."

"Anything" Betty said without a moment of hesitation, her eyes drying as she let herself once again get drawn into the youngest Meade, just not willing to give up their happiness for some hot play time with his brother. Laughing slightly at her subtle change in mood, Tyler lifted Betty's face up a fraction of a bit and brushed his lips against Betty's sweetly, not anything serious and nothing with any underlying intentions he simply wanted his girlfriend to know that his support would always be there as long as she wanted it to be. The woman couldn't help but sigh into the kiss and press into his lips harder, suddenly feeling the need for her entirely gorgeous, basically naked boyfriend who was apparently really trying to make a statement because before for wandering fingers could reach the towel keeping the best of him hidden from her, Tyler gripped her hand gently and laughed into the kiss.

"Since when did you become such a sex kitten." He purred against her lips and Betty couldn't help but to pout in frustration, making the man laugh and once again press his lips against hers lightly.

"Just promise me that you won't let Daniel call the shots in this relationship, I love you Betty and because I love you I will tolerate him, but I'll be damned if he starts making you think that we shouldn't be together." Tyler said almost angrily and his normally warm eyes turned icy at the thought of his brother and Betty couldn't help but look away and nod something Tyler didn't take to kindly and once again brought her face back to him, silently willing her to promise him, to _say_ the words that he needed to hear at this point.

"I… I promise Tyler." Betty said none to reassuringly after a few moments and though the well toned man lying beside her looked completely unconvinced he let it slide and pressed his lips to hers, he'd rather have the false hope then getting into yet another argument over a brother that hated him and honest to God a brother that Tyler had never asked for. Tyler loved Claire, and though his blind and angry drunkenness had almost killed her, his birthmother had forgiven him and they still talked at least twice a week though very rarely did his relationship come up. Tyler couldn't understand why it was his mother wasn't an avid supporter of his being with Betty when she simply adored the quirky woman and often referred to her as a member of the family since before they had even started dating. Tyler couldn't help but feel that everyone was against him and Betty and it just made his want to take this relationship to the limits even more. He loved the woman who he now had pinned beneath him, writhing and mewling at his every movement and it was enough to make him toss all other thoughts to the back burner for now.

Shoving her work papers to the side, not paying one mind to which way the papers fell Betty wrapped a hand behind Tyler's neck, lifting herself up enough to allow her boyfriend better control of her and when she felt him grind against her, his bare skin against the fabric of her lace panties Betty's head rolled back leaving her at an angle that Tyler himself quite love. The towel had long ago fallen off leaving Tyler as naked as newborn and finding that he didn't quite like that fact that his girlfriend was still in work clothes.

"You're way too overdressed babe, no wonder you're so stressed." Tyler teased Betty slowly and she could only let out a long and progressive moan when she felt her boyfriend's work calloused hands tease a gently trail from her calves up to her skirt, his fingers grazing this sensitive skin inside her thighs, far too close for comfort but sending pure jolts of ecstasy through her core. Biting her lip harshly Betty was fighting with herself not to buck as she felt Tyler's hands linger near her center on their path to the zipper of her skirt and Tyler couldn't help but laugh at the look of hard concentration on Betty's face as he took his painstakingly sweet time to unzip the skirt before yanking it off roughly pulling her panties with the force making Betty jump and open her eyes with a renewed fire.

"Aren't we in a rough mood tonight?" Betty teased, though she couldn't help but to love it especially when he leaned over her, rubbing as much of their skin together as possible making Betty's cheek flush as she felt Tyler take a rough grip of her shirt.

"Tell me you don't want it." And Betty couldn't even bring herself to breathe let alone speak and for his part Tyler only smirked darkly and ripped open the shirt she was wearing, sending the buttons flying and sending a shiver down Betty's spine. "Then shut up and take it." And before his girlfriend could get a word in edgewise, Tyler's lips were on Betty's and his hands were moving her red lace bra out of the way….

The Viper Pit was fairly empty for being a Friday night but then again when the club had fallen off the charts three years ago even Daniel had almost forgotten about it and now he was just glad that he had somewhere to sit down and drown his misery without worrying about paparazzi flashing cameras in his face and ending up on Entertainment Tonight. Unlike his mother and half brother, Daniel knew how to keep his alcohol in line, drugs had been his demon but he was fine without them and at his age to be seen in a club higher then Eiffel Tower… it just wasn't an attractive thing to even picture. So he was fine with sitting at the bar with his scotch on the rocks letting the club goers behind him dance to old club hit playing, the mellow voice coupled with the fast hip shaking rhythm was bound to have the drunk girls playing belly dancers and any man with half a brain to try and find a way to get close enough to get a chance.

It made the man smile to see all the 20 somethings roaming around, some drunk off their asses, reminded him of fun times, others off in corners with one or two special friends and that reminded Daniel of even _ better_ times making the man laugh. That had felt like a lifetime ago and now to watch others do it, it almost made the man cringe to know that all of this had been plastered over the television and newspapers. Daniel had surpassed it though, he liked to think that he'd grown into something that resembled and adult and while he regretted nothing and would have gladly lived his life the same way (albeit aside from a few key decisions and events) without any second guesses.

Watching it now through new eyes though, it was a real eye opener as to what it was that he had shown Betty when they'd first met and he couldn't blame the woman for being so tentative to even giving him a chance. It was Betty that had driven him here in the first place, after their lunch date Daniel hadn't heard from her much like he expected and it was this tired routine that was making him want to bite a bullet that told Daniel that if he didn't get out and at least _try _to get Betty out of his mind then he might as well should start working on his shrine to her and as much as he _did_ love Betty, no amount of love could make stalkerism attractive.

Washing down the rest of his drink without so much as a cringe Daniel called the barkeep over once again to order a refill of his drink when he saw a sudden man of dark wavy hair sit beside him.

"Make that two." A distinctly feminine voice shouted out before looking up at Daniel and her icy blue eyes locked on his, a smirk of confidence on her face. "I figure if you're going to drink the bar dry I should at least get a chance at some liquor." As much as Daniel didn't want to and wasn't in the mood for company he laughed and lifted his hands in a sign of defeat.

"Go for it." He said with a laugh as she gave him a look that said even if he wouldn't have wanted to she would have done it anyways. The bartender set down a glass in front of each of them casting a knowing look to Daniel that made the man roll his eyes and silently shoo the man off. For a moment neither of them said anything, the dark haired woman simple stirred the amber colored liquid with the black straw as if second guessing her choice and Daniel couldn't help but to laugh softly at the poor woman as he lifted the hard liquor to his lips and took a sip from the glass quite pleased with how smoothly his third glass was going down. Hearing his laugh the girl turned to face him a playful glare and smile on her face as she realized he was poking fun at her.

"What? You think I'm way in over my head here?" Daniel simply shrugged his shoulders and let out another soft laugh as he took another drink before speaking.

"Most alcohol is made for drinking not swirling." A smirk on his face as he took the time to silently and discretely eye her up and down, she was a beauty of that there was _no_ doubt. Her raven colored tresses fell in rolling waves down her back and it was definitely well cared for and looked soft to the touch. Her icy blue eyes bordered on grey and he could only imagine the type of hellfire they could breathe if they were as expressive as they were being right now. She had full bow shaped lips, that fell into a natural pout and her body was just… Well maybe he should stop himself there because not only was the guilt of looking at another woman creeping up but she looked fairly fresh faced and he was pushing 40 faster than he cared to admit. The woman beside him didn't notice or pretended not to notice the man besides her checking her out but simply raised an eyebrow and accepted his challenge silently. Taking the black straw out of the glass the woman silently lifted her glass to Daniel before throwing back the drink without a second guess or even a cringe and set the glass down roughly on the bar as if to shut Daniel up but he couldn't help but to laugh at her outgoing antics even more and he had to admit that he really welcomed her distractions to his own thoughts. Taking in her triumphant grin Daniel admitted his defeat.

"All right well then I guess you've earned your way to this barstool." He said lifting his own glass to her but taking a decidedly smaller gulp of the liquid. Turning to face her, Daniel saw the woman smirk and take her seat triumphantly but only for a moment before making a small gagging noise and calling the barkeep back to them.

"Where did you guys find the stuff underneath an old car? Get me a cranberry and vodka, his tab." The woman said with a smirk and the bartender nodded before setting to making her drink and leaving Daniel to the girl who was obviously one strong headed girl and he realized he was going to be in for a long night.

"And what makes you think that_ I_ would have a tab here?" He asked mildly offended though thoroughly amused especially considering that yes he did have a tab.

"The fact that you haven't even thought about touching your wallet since you've been here, the fact that the only people that sit at bars tend to have a tab, and the fact that… Well I've heard all about _ you _Daniel Meade, the surprise to_ me_ is that as often as Mode Magazine likes to place me in the fashion forward list, you can't seem to pinpoint who _I _am, really Mr. Meade, I'm offended and slightly hurt." The woman said before taking a much slower sip of her mixed drink and it was then that Daniel really took the time to drink her sight in. Tonight she was dressed to kill that was for sure, the red dress that clung painstakingly tight to her petite yet curvaceous figure, the three quarter sleeves gave her dress an air of class though the dangerously low back cut and short hem dared to disagree and he vaguely remembered the dress from the McQueen fall line. Daniel may not have been at Mode any longer but fashion was the one thing that he would never let pass by.

"Natalia Macias, now last I heard you were trekking through the Serengeti trying to snap pictures of big cats." Daniel knew he was downplaying her work and it was only because he was quite impressed with the girl. She was one of the wealthiest heirs in the world, the daughter of to separate fortunes coming into one, she could lose a million dollars and not care where she put them… maybe that was a little much but it was also true. Natalia had been in the spotlight since birth, her father had been the CEO of one of the biggest financial companies and was in fact once friends with Cal Hartley the seed of the devil himself but obviously Mr. Macias had, had better taste then to continue to associate with the man. Her mother was a top notch interior designer who had at one point redecorated their house when Daniel was away at college but he had to admit the woman had good taste. It was their money that had put the Macias and Collins in the magazines it was their fashion that kept them there. After their divorce Aleksander Macias fell under the radar and threw himself into work while Veronica on the other hand became the center of the tabloid world, for months after their divorce there were speculations and accusations to the cause of the divorce all the while her flawless appearance landing in MODE time and again. At that time Daniel hadn't really cared about the magazine or tabloids since he himself was busy getting plastered all over the place as well but from a young age Natalia was always seen alongside her mother in designer labels from head to toe and as she flourished it was easy to see that that part of her hadn't changed but she was definitely no longer a girl in the shadow of her mother… Natalia Macias was a bombshell all her own.

Daniel remembered hearing about the young girl's decision to forego following in either parents footsteps _and_ college to instead became a photographer and though he'd made fun of it the woman had a natural born talent for it and went to great extents to get shots of some of the most breath taking and heart stopping landscapes and animals. He could also see by the look of slight annoyance on her face that she took her job pretty seriously.

"Ha. Ha. Mister Fashion editor turned columnists, wanna talk about backtracking?" Oh and she was a spitfire, Daniel was starting to think he was getting in over his head and he had to remember that the reason he was here wasn't for some sort of tangled love affair, not to mention the girl was ten years younger then him and it was bad enough he was pining after Betty who hadn't even hit 30 yet, now to run after a girl younger than _her? _Daniel didn't want to be thought of as _that_ guy, but there was nothing wrong with just talking… right?

"Ah so you keep tabs on me is that it?" The man couldn't help but flirt and he enjoyed watching the woman roll her eyes but look away, hiding her smile from him.

"Don't flatter yourself, I just happen to enjoy a good gossip magazine when I'm on the job. So what brings you to London?" The woman asked, swiftly changing the subject and Daniel couldn't help but to grin and puff his chest out slightly. Oh yeah, he still had it.

"Well what brings you here?"

"Down time" The girl said nonchalant and shrugging her shoulders as though it was the most obvious reason there was and Daniel couldn't help but bite down his smile a little. If only his answer could be that simple.

"It's complicated." Daniel admitted to the younger woman who merely nodded softly as if in understanding, her mouth forming a small 'o' shape before taking a sip of her cranberry and vodka. Neither of them spoke for a while once again, Natalia simply looking straight ahead of her and taking small sips of her alcohol while Daniel practically squirmed at the silence, the heavy flirting gone and a sudden admittance from him and Daniel had to wonder if maybe he was being to open with the girl who had suddenly stopped all conversation with him. He tried to be just as easy going as she was being but it was to avail and he was sure it was written plainly on his face by the smirk on her face and he had to wonder what the hell he was doing acting like some sort of teenage boy getting dumbstruck around a girl that though beautiful was damn well younger then him. He should have at least been looking like some sort of Casanova and living up to his reputation, something obviously not happening right this moment.

"I know what gets rid of complicated situations." Natalia said matter of factly not looking at Daniel, though a smirk played on her lips, Daniel felt the corner of his lips tug up into a wry grin once again as he down the rest of his drink and motioned for the girl to continue and he couldn't help but to let his eyes travel down the mini dress to her mile long legs, his mind going a thousand different directions and not one of them leading to Betty at the moment. This time Natalia _did_ notice but said nothing and in fact turned her body to face Daniel's, leaning over and entering the man's personal space a wicked grin of amusement on her face as though she were going to reveal a giant well kept secret.

"Pizza." And though he couldn't believe the woman before him he had to let out a laugh of disbelief as she stood from the barstool offering the man her hand. "I know where to get the best slice around." And though Daniel knew he was getting in over his head and though he knew that if word got out about him being seen with Natalia Macias, Betty would send him packing, Daniel couldn't keep himself from taking her hand and pulling her to him only a fraction of a bit closer, the whole situation pushing friendly borders as he leaned down slightly, amused to find that though she was a good deal taller then Betty and in heels, she was still a good head shorter then him. With his lips next to her ear he said with a grin on his face.

"Italiano's on Churchill." And he was pleased to hear Natalia's laugh so close to his ear as she leaned against him and shook her head before pushing off of him.

"I wouldn't feed that cardboard to my cat, come on you'll just have to take my word for this and be surprised." And with a grin Daniel couldn't help but to think that for once he was due for a pleasant surprise and eagerly followed the heiress out of the club and away from his earlier thoughts and self pity, and none too soon he thought to himself gratefully as he watched the heiress call a cab with no trouble, all the time his hand in hers resting comfortably.


	3. And Inside I'm A Mess, By Someone Before

Thanks you guys for bearing with me I wish I had the time to post as frequently as I'd like but work is a soul sucker _

Anywho, thanks so much for my reviews and the support of my story even if it's only one person that were to like it just to know it is well received somewhere is good enough for me :D I hope to start on a new chapter tomorrow but as it stands i stayed up til midnight writing this and I think my brain is slowly leaking out of my brain so please excuse any errors, my beta told me about them but iiii did what I wanted lol 3 Hope you all enjoy! Please review.

**Song: Need You - Travie McCoy**

* * *

"Now look me in the eye and tell me that wasn't the best you've ever had."

"I just thought it would have at least been bigger."

"Oh please, you couldn't even eat half of it!"

"What are you talking about?" There in an abandoned pizzeria that was out of the way of any major streets and stuck between other local markets and flower shops sat one Daniel Meade and Natalia Macias sharing a large pepperoni pizza and breaking into a fit of laughter for the umpteenth time that night. Lucianna's was definitely not anywhere Daniel had been before and he'd found out that Natalia had spent most of her young life in London before her parents divorce and moving to California with her father. It was no surprise that she still knew the area like the back of her hand and had managed to stay out of the general public eye unless she felt like it.

He'd found her to be quite fascinating and had been relieved to find that the conversation had flowed freely and lightly between the pair, the light flirting was still there and Daniel couldn't help but to fall under her spell of beauty, intelligence, and sarcasm she was a loaded gun and Daniel couldn't help but to drink in their late night dinner, not speaking much finding it enough to just hear her talk animatedly but in a way that almost bled pedigree. It was easy to see that her etiquette was engraved, the proper way she sat and the dainty way she ate, the way her arms only waved so far and how when she laughed occasionally she'd put a hand over her mouth as if hiding it would make it any less contagious. This is what he had come to London to find and though they were having a great time and he'd laughed so hard his stomach was hurting now he couldn't help but to feel that this was entirely the wrong woman.

This time with Natalia made him ache for Betty as much as he wanted her out of his mind, this reminded the man of their times in New York when he'd have her stay behind to help with an issue, picking out a picture, or even just to catch up. They'd always go get a late dinner, a hot dog in central park or a slice of pizza in Queens. It hadn't been anything planned ever but those spur of the moment late night dinner dates had died down when Molly showed up and then when she died. He had felt Betty pull away from him, they were still closer than most people but when he and Molly had met Daniel could sense that Betty almost felt as though she weren't needed or wanted and though it hadn't passed his mind then, could he have really been hurting her so bad since then?

Surely not, she'd had her father's health to worry about she'd had Matt, Henry, and Gio to keep her occupied. Sometimes Daniel didn't know who it was she was dating and though it may have sounded petty even to him, Daniel just didn't appreciate how she had judged him when she had had her own sordid love triangles here and there, she'd even played the other woman for Henry for a spell, dated him even when Charlie was pregnant, that didn't sound quite like the angel that everyone played Betty Suarez to be and he couldn't help but to feel bitter that just because he was Daniel Mead "Playboy of Manhattan" he couldn't have a heart, or want to actually be with someone even _if_ they weren't what one would call a supermodel. Betty was beautiful and he'd told her as such on many, many occasions and for her to throw it in his face that she wasn't what he normally went for felt like a kick to the stomach because she was obviously assuming that whatever he'd told her at any other time was just a show, and though Daniel was many things and none of them very positive, a good liar had never been one.

"Hey there Daniel. Daniel! Are you still with me or did all this grease give you a heart attack?" Shaking his thoughts out of his head Daniel finally focused his attention on the beautiful woman sitting across from him in an old vinyl booth. Narrowing his eyes at her jab at his age Natalia merely smirked and took another delicate bite of her thin crust pizza smiling at the man and he couldn't help but take a moment to look around at the beat up old restaurant that was headed by the same family for thirty years and then at themselves, in designer wear, laughing their heads off as though they had known one another for years and were just simply catching up. He had to admit that the familiarity of her and the almost instant bond of friendship felt like a sign of good things to come for the man. Suddenly he wasn't alone pining away for a woman that was in a relationship with his brother, suddenly it wasn't as though God was just out to screw him over and he'd finally thrown Daniel a bone… A nice meaty one that dressed to kill and was definitely _not_ shy about voicing her opinions something the man found he rather liked in an almost painfully familiar way... aside from the fashion sense and all around lifelong beauty.

"You know you keep talking like that I might have to beat you with my cane." The man teased.

"I can't wait." Natalia said without skipping a beat letting out a chuckle as she watched Daniel choke on his slice of pizza and turn a nice shade of red. Maybe he really was getting too old for this…

In the glow of a moonlit room two bodies lay together, limbs tangled and sheets upturned but neither seemed to mind, lost in the moment of their lips pressed to another. Tyler and Betty found that their unusual bout of aggressive love seemed to have renew a fire that had otherwise been dimming out. Betty let out a soft sigh at the feel of Tyler's work calloused hands marking a path up the supple flesh of her thigh before running back down to lift up her knee and hook it around his back and the woman wasted no time in once again pulling her boyfriend on top of her, finding the weight of his body on hers a comfort and the lethargic smile plastered on her face proved as such. For his part Tyler simply rested against his girlfriend, running a finger across her soft features amused to find the way she followed his touch as though she needed his touch to soothe her but the man wasn't complaining.

The past few months had been hard on the couple Tyler had sensed a change in his girlfriend, she hadn't been distant and in fact had been more loving, the changes in his girlfriend hadn't been a problem at first but the months wore on and suddenly she was working more, suddenly her lunch date with him was cancelled but Daniel had thought to bring her food. Then suddenly Daniel was a part of their lives on a regular basis again, Tyler would call her and she'd be helping the man with an article or he would be helping her with an article and as much as Tyler hated to admit it and as much as he knew he needed to trust the woman he loved just the _thought _of Daniel being the one that Betty was running to again, to see her _let_ him control her life again like he'd done for so long in New York, it boiled Tyler's blood and as much as he trusted Betty…. Daniel was another story all together. From day one the animosity between the two had been constant and as friendly a person as Tyler liked to think himself he was just _waiting_ for the chance to shove his fist straight down Daniel's throat. Sensing his sudden change in mood Betty delicately brought one of her hands up to his face and led his lips to hers softly.

"I love you." The woman mumbled against his lips and was glad to find him reiterating the words against her lips, wrapping an arm underneath her waist and pressing her fully against his body the bed sheet separating the couple. Betty was glad for the weekend, it gave her time away from Daniel, work, and the all around outside world and being with her boyfriend having him hold her in his arms and whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Betty acted as though she wasn't the type of girl that thrived off those things but sometimes to be told you were beautiful meant a lot and to know that it was meant from that person's heart and not just their libido really made the woman's heart swell. She may have been hard on Daniel but it was nothing she hadn't witnessed first hand and it wasn't as though she expected him to change his life like he'd done for Molly, the woman had had cancer, Betty was just… ambitious.

It felt horrible to let Daniel into their space when only seconds ago all that had mattered was them and all Betty could think about was Tyler and how life with him had the potential to be so beautiful. It was a constant nagging pull at their relationship to have Daniel so close yet so blatantly unaware of what it was he was doing and for all her concern Betty was willing to bet that Daniel was off in some bar making a move on some 20 something in a miniskirt and 'fuck me' heels. Betty really didn't know why it made her so crazy to think of him with another woman when here she was getting laid left and right, not that she was complaining but her moral compass was _really_ going askew here lately. It had to end though, no matter how close she wanted to be to Daniel and how much her heart ached for her former boss Betty had to draw the conclusion that it was only the desire to have something that was always just within her grasp but never really there. His touch though, just a hand over hers it was an electric rush down to her core and when he looked at her Betty could feel herself turn into a puddle. Daniel Meade had a certain way with women and Betty had to wonder if even _he_ knew what he did to women. He got women to look past the affair with a well known man whore and still get them to love him, his power was incredible and his skills her just unsurpassable… thought the man lying on top of her certainly did put in his best effort.

Tyler's lips traveled down Betty's neck taking in her distraction as a chance to once again take advantage of her body and the way she pressed into his caresses made the man smirk as he kissed down her chest moving the bed sheet out of the way and staking claim to one of her breasts his tongue swirling around the woman's nipple quite pleased to find her arching into the touch and once again rocking her hips. He'd definitely taken note of Betty's increased sex drive as of late but as one of her changes the man had to admit that this was one of the ones he could live with especially the surprise attacks here and there and had it not been for the sudden growl of her stomach Tyler was very well aware of where there actions would take them.

"I thought Daniel fed you." Tyler asked with an amused grin as he marked a hot trail of kisses back up to Betty's lips. The woman couldn't help but to roll her eyes before taking the opportunity to flip them over and rest comfortably in his lap liking this position of dominance over her boyfriend.

"I guess you took up all that nourishment."

"I'm glad." The man said with a cocky grin making the woman grin and bat away his roaming hands before throwing the bed sheet over her boyfriend's face and climbing off his lap in search of her underwear. Letting out an amused laugh, Tyler watched Betty as she dug through his drawer for one of his undershirts and found that he quite enjoyed the site of her prancing around in his clothes.

"I'm going to see what we have in the kitchen I'm _starving_." Betty said, not having eaten since getting back to the office after her meeting and finding that sitting alone in her office just did nothing for her appetite. Walking out of the dark bedroom into an equally dark living room Betty simply turned on the dining room light finding it enough light for her to dig through the fridge to find something to snack on that would tie her over until the morning when her and Tyler could go out for breakfast because the one thing that hadn't changed about Betty was her inability to cook _although_ she did make a good grilled cheese if she said so herself, although Tyler apparently had had enough grilled cheese to last a lifetime after their first three months of living together. She couldn't blame him though, although he did have to pay for or cook the meals because Betty herself would have been fine with grilled cheese.

Opening the refrigerator door the Hispanic woman bent over, leaning down trying to find something nice to snack on her eyes drawn automatically to the fresh cut fruit that she had bought earlier in the week and then to the doggie bags of Italian food from last night and she was torn between the fruit and a nice bowl of spaghetti. Before the woman could get much further in her decision making though, she found someone pressed against her backside hands on her hips keeping her in place and making the woman roll her eyes playfully.

"You know I'm starting to think the reason I've lost weight lately is your incessant need to constantly spread my legs." The woman teased before grabbing the fruit bowl just in time to feel her boyfriend effortlessly flipping her back to face him and letting his hands grab her ass playfully before lifting her up to the counter and nestling himself right between her legs.

"Mm, most women would be complaining that their men _don't_ keep them on their backs constantly, Miss Suarez I'm starting to wonder if you're dyslexic." The youngest of the Meade children responded to the woman who gave him an almost flat stare if it hadn't been for the smile tugging on her lips. Rolling her eyes and opening the plastic container Betty merely picked up a plump strawberry and took a bite from the sweet morsel, pleased to find her boyfriend's eyes attached to the fruit between her lips and she had to admit that the feel of someone wanting you as bad as he did was a real ego booster and the woman led the strawberry to her boyfriend's lips teasing him with the fruit for a bit before letting him take a bite and finding herself just as lost in him as he had been with her and she had to wonder what it was that was in the air tonight.

"I never said I was complaining did I? This is mine though you have to find your own food." And before the words could pass her lips Betty saw the lascivious grin that crept up her boyfriend's lips and it sent a shiver rolling down Betty's spine to see him press against her and put the bowl of fruit aside.

"I can think of one thing I'm dying for a taste of." And it was almost enough to send Betty off the edge as she found her boyfriend once again staking his control of her body and for the second time that day her appetite was put to the back burner in lieu of a lover's sexual appetite but amazingly enough the woman had no qualms with it, though she had to wonder if someone could actually die from _over_ pleasure.

After a late night dinner and free flowing conversation Daniel found himself still in the company of the young heiress, his jacket over her shoulders, her hand resting comfortably in his as they took a walk through the quiet streets of London. It was strange to see the city as calm as it was but it was pleasant much like his night had been and despite the thoughts of Betty that would creep into his mind here and there, Daniel was genuinely glad to be in the company of Natalia who had a way of taking his mind off Betty and keeping him constantly on his toes. For the moment neither said a word though the silence wasn't awkward but Daniel had to wonder what it was that the young woman was thinking and what it was that she wanted from him because honestly he wasn't stupid enough to think that she'd pick _him_ from a room of young and eligible men, Daniel was fine with the fact that he was no longer 25 but that was also the point, Natalia _was_ and as far as interests went he was sure that Natalia would have probably been far better suited with billionaire turned philanthropist Matt Hartley, granted he also saw that Natalia wasn't exactly one that took well to a.d.d because hers was more then enough. It was endearing though to watch her bounce from one topic to the other before falling silent much like she was now that smile on her face as though she knew something he didn't and wouldn't be sharing anytime soon.

He had to admit that he liked that though, Daniel found himself _wanting_ to know what it was she knew and wanting to spend more time with her, maybe not romantically but as a friend in the city, it would help keep him sane when thoughts of what Betty and Tyler were doing in the late hour of the night knowing the answer and somehow feeling as though _he_ were tainted. Right now though, the brisk air and the walk the only thing on his mind was the woman by his side walking quietly beside him the only sounds around them were the soft and steady clicks of her Louboutin heels.

"So you never told me what exactly you were doing all by yourself, a girl as pretty as you should really never be alone." And Daniel had to admit to himself that it had sounded just as bad out loud as it had in his mind and Natalia had noticed as well because the only thing the woman did was let out another laugh and roll her eyes before leaning against Daniel.

"Now what gives you the idea that I was _alone_?" Daniel gave her a curious look and once again he found that Natalia was twisting her words and leaving him to wonder if she'd left a date, a friend, or if she had actually gone alone. Noticing the look he gave her Natalia simply shook her head and wrapped her free hand around the man's arm taking the time to note just how well toned and built he was and she had to admit the thought of what it was that hid underneath that shirt was mouth watering but she was a lady and she just didn't do things like that… ever. It was still nice to think about what it was that the ever famous Daniel Meade had going on underneath. Sending the man another smirk Natalia found herself quite enjoying the fact that she could keep Daniel off balance and scrambling to keep up with her. Still she had to admit that his flirting back with her was a surprise and one that the 25 year old woman didn't mind at all. There weren't many Daniel Meade's in the world and she had of course read all the gossip magazines and the rumors about the girls he'd slept with, some even women from their social circle but Natalia really took all of that with but a grain of salt. Her mother had told her about Daniel Meade through the man's mother and really Betty couldn't help but to find the man a genuine interest and even if it was only light and playful like now, it was a comfort to know that men as dedicated and family oriented as Daniel were still around. "Honestly I was just a third wheel for my friend and her girlfriend, when I saw a cute, somewhat aged guy I-"

"Aged? Really? _Aged?_" Daniel said almost offended looking at Natalia incredulously only to find the woman once again smirking, having gotten the best of him and bringing out his vanity. "You really want to get hurt don't you?"

"Only if it's a promise." Natalia teased the man.

"I don't think you could handle me." Sending the man a knowing glance that full well told him she could handle him and more Daniel did his best to bite down any further remarks and let the younger woman continue talking.

"Trust me I can take everything you've got to give and more and who ever said I was insulting you? Some of the best things get better with age, wine, cheese, sex, I mean really think about it, the first time you have sex it's awkward, it's short and it's probably _not_ in the most romantic of places but, you get older and you learn and you grow I'm really paying you a compliment." The woman said with a smirk, testing Daniel's personal will because all he really wanted to do was be up front with the bombshell beside him on the Westminster bridge at such a late hour and ask her what she wanted because all signs were pointed to go and as much as he would _love_ to take advantage of the offer at hand, he just couldn't bring himself to really do that to Betty no matter if she was doing the same thing to him with his own brother.. Though an outsider might say that it was _Daniel_ that was intruding on the relationship but no, that just wasn't the case to Daniel. To Daniel it would always be Tyler that had intruded on something that was none of his concern taking something from Daniel that would never be able to be replaced and to turn Betty against him.

He had respected their relationship for _years,_ not weeks or even months but two _years_ of watching Tyler holding her, of seeing her on his arm in Paris for the holidays, of having to sit there and watch his half brother kiss Betty as though her heart belonged to him but he could see in her eyes that while she did love Tyler it wasn't like the love she had for Daniel, it wasn't like they love they _shared. _They had gone through incredible highs and lows, his battles with addiction and her own personal struggles of growing up without losing herself, Daniel had shared that with Betty, not Tyler and just because Betty had seen Daniel at his lowest she felt she had the right to throw it in his face? If Daniel was still the same man he had been six years ago then he would have wasted no time in bedding Natalia Macias, in having her designer wear on the floor and her couture heels in the air but what was he doing? He was taking a midnight stroll with her because_ Betty_ had, had her fill of Daniel for the week.

It was almost like he was her pity fuck, he wanted some clarity more then ever, Daniel refused to give up on Betty but Betty refused to let him be and she gave him that false hope! How could she expect Daniel to ever believe that they were through when he would get a vague text message at three in the morning asking him out for a last minute lunch date? The man wondered what games it was that Betty was playing with him because while he wasn't good enough to be seen in public with he was certainly good enough to spend an hour a day two or three days a week with? Some men may have liked that but to know that love was involved and to push and pull him every which way Daniel was starting to wonder if Betty would ever believe anything he had to say and unlike Betty, the girl at his side right now walking quietly with a smug look of satisfaction on her face seemed to just have an OK time with playing around, something that Betty used to do with him but even that felt like a lifetime ago when they were both just two different people.

"Hm, well before I ask you for a demonstration of just how aged sex is better than fresh why don't we get you home?" Daniel said looking down at Natalia with a smirk to find that for what felt like the first time that night he'd caught her off guard and found her small face of surprise turn into one of amusement as she nudged into him and shrugged.

"I do suppose its past my bedtime Grandpa, too bad though I was going to ask you to tuck me in." The girl said mischievously to which Daniel only smirked and tightened his grip on her hand fractionally.

"If you promise to behave I _will_ check for monsters in your closet." The couple broke into laughter once again as he watched Natalia hail yet another cab without fail and he wasted no time in helping her in and following suit. Once they were in the cab and Natalia had given the man her address the two stayed on opposite sides of the car, though there was no awkward air there was the sudden feel of needing to say _something_ but what? Daniel would _like_ to see her again but she had made enough teasing jabs at his age to make him think that maybe she only thought of him as a fun one night out with an older guy thing… Chicks did that right? Daniel didn't even know anymore he'd been so far gone out of the dating pool that he felt almost as though no he was looking too _much_ into this night rather than not enough. He knew there was a connection but he also knew that she was about as free spirited as they came and while Daniel had the means to do such a thing he didn't want to simply live off the Meade fortunes and Natalia made her way being free spirited something the man just wasn't spirited enough to do.

"Well this is me." The soft voice tore him out of his thoughts and Daniel looked around the dark neighborhood and though it was on the better side of town Daniel was never one to just leave a lady to fend for herself, as much as he doubted Natalia was a damsel in distress.

"I guess it's time to check for boogey men." Daniel said with a grin only to find Natalie out of the cab and shaking her head using her hand to keep him seated through the open window.

"Now what type of girl do you take me for?" And Daniel wasn't sure what his face read before he saw Natalia once again laughing and shoving at his chest. "You wish. Thanks for the ride though. Good night Gramps." The young heiress teased and though Daniel didn't move from his spot, letting Natalia win this round he instructed the driver to stay put until he was sure she was in her house, grinning as he watched her walk away unable to help his eyes from straying maybe lower then they should have but thoroughly amused to find that she'd turned around at the top of the stairs to wave good bye and send the man a playful wink and disappearing into her home.

With a grin Daniel shook his head and gave the driver his own address before settling back into the seat, unsure of what to think of the folded napkin Natalia had shoved into his chest with her cell phone and a smiley with a tongue sticking out doodled onto it and though he knew what the rules of the games were Daniel figured he'd always been a rule breaker and that Natalia seemed to see eye to eye with him on that point.

"Ah screw it." The man said with a shrug before pulling out his own smart phone and promptly marking her number hearing the ringing tone the man was at least glad it wasn't a _fake_ but he had to admit that even he was surprised to hear the line pick up and the same familiar voice answer.

"Well that took you long enough." And even though he couldn't see her, Daniel could already see the smile on her face.


	4. One Kiss, And Boom You're The Only One

**Author's Note: **Again thanks for all the reviews, reviews make me smile and I just wanted to make sure I could give you guys a little something more before going back to work and all that jazz. Now this has two flashbacks so I hope it doesn't get confusing and that you love it or at least appreciate my awkward attempts at smut seeing as I'm still trying to get over the fact that it's ok to write those sorts of things without being considered some sort of perv lol. Well here you go and I hope you guys love it :)

**Song: The Game of Love - Santana Ft. Michelle Branch**

* * *

The summer was slowly dwindling down into fall and the changing leaves of the trees, a testament to that. The summer months had breezed by in London and though it was a sign of things coming to an end it was only a reminder of what it was that had started nearly one year ago to a certain couple currently wrapped up in one another's arms in Daniel Meade's apartment. Tyler had gone out of the country for a photo shoot in Rio and while he'd invited his girlfriend to come with and as much as she was dying to, Betty just couldn't pass up the opportunity of four days alone with Daniel, working from his apartment and wearing his shirts it was as close to a life with him that she could get right now and she just couldn't let it slip up. She'd used a meeting with an advertiser to get out of going and had taken her overnight bags to Daniel's as soon as she'd dropped Tyler off at the airport. It felt horrible to be so glad to see him go but this was the first time she'd be able to have Daniel for her own without having to sneak between lunch dates. It was being able to sleep in his arms, as dangerous a game as she was playing it was waking up to his sleeping face and the feel of him tugging her closer keeping her in place and lulling her back to sleep.

It felt so good to be with Daniel it felt like it was where she needed to be but there was the nagging in her mind that constantly picked at her and told her he only wanted her because he couldn't have her and now that he had her he wouldn't let her go because Daniel Meade didn't know how to share, wasn't that how he got Molly? Maybe it was an unreasonable comparison seeing as Connor had jumped at the chance to jump Wilhelmina and Molly and Daniel had genuinely been in love but when did lightening ever strike twice? Betty had to protect the most stable relationship she had from the most constant man in her life. It sounded as bad as it was and though most women would have killed for Daniel Meade to just look at them Betty was fighting with herself on how and when she should end this but did she really want to? As a matter of fact it had been _her_ to call Daniel and _her_ that had shown up, of course he had been surprised but Daniel wasted no time in helping her settle in despite the fact that they both knew that this was past treading dangerous waters and running head on into the rip current. As it stood though Betty was currently resting on Daniel's king sized comforter, the purple shirt he had been wearing last night on their dinner date to some lows scale out of the way place, and it definitely raised some questions in just how it was that Daniel had found the place but the food was so good and the freedom of being able to hold his hand over the table without worrying about who saw him or if there was a photographer near by was amazing.

Daniel had gone to work leaving Betty to her work and she was glad for the alone time because sitting in the middle of the plush dark blue comforter with next month's issue in front of her editing an article pushing up the rimless glasses she was wearing because she had been too lazy to bother with contacts but when Daniel had seen them on her before leaving it was his soft kiss on her lips mumbling to her that he'd missed those glasses that made her blush and shoo him off to work before they spent another hour trying to get him out of bed and as good as the idea sounded to _both_ parties involved and as much as they knew that they were both way in over their heads here, the delusion of playing house for almost a week was well worth the heartache that they would both be feeling coming Tuesday evening… At least that's what Betty rationalized and tried to convince herself.

It was when she was taking a break from the magazine and was perched on Daniel's kitchen counter eating some of the best Chinese food she'd had from an unknown restaurant that she was looking around the man's amazing space, it was only slightly smaller then his penthouse and the woman had to roll her eyes because obviously while the man had wanted to start over (something she never quite believed seeing as Daniel had made a damn good name for himself even without her) it seemed he was unwilling to live from the bottom up. As she sat there though, eating the cold orange chicken and lo mein noodles doing her best to use chopsticks Betty had to ask herself why it was that she couldn't just take that plunge with Daniel. He loved her it seemed despite all her misgivings he'd seen her do some pretty shady things and had never held them against her like she did to him every single time he brought up the prospect of just leaving Tyler and just to prove the man wrong, just to go against Daniel, Betty had no doubt made things worse and deepened her relationship with Tyler. It was in the loneliness of Daniel's apartment with her boyfriend off in South America and her lover off at work that Betty thought back to just how everything got started and just how much worse it just seemed to get with everything that Betty tried to use against Daniel…

_Betty still couldn't believe that of all the people to run to in all of the places it was Daniel! Her best friend! And though they had left on a sour note in New York the woman could never blame the man for having been hurt after all Betty had only given him a week's notice and she deserved that anger. Still to see him there asking her out to dinner, Betty was on the moon and eagerly accepted his invite, even taking the time out to go home and change into a form fitting black dress and her favorite pair of red heels. Betty had certainly changed from the assistant of four years ago but Daniel had changed as well and sometimes change wasn't a bad thing at all. _

_They had agreed to meet in the same spot where they had bumped into each other but after that Daniel wouldn't tell her much and every time he hugged her he'd give her a look that made the woman want to blush and look away, something she wasn't used to and something she knew very well she shouldn't have been feeling for Daniel for a variety of reasons. After a light touch up of her make up and applying a light layer of pink tinted lip gloss Betty once again left her house to make her way over to meet Daniel only to find the man waiting for her a bouquet of spring flowers in his hands and Betty couldn't help the warm pull in her chest when he caught sight of her but that strange look he was giving her and Betty couldn't help but look down for a moment and tuck a stray bunch of hair behind her ear, a habit she had never grown out of but something she found that always had Daniel smiling and today was no different. _

_Walking up to the woman, Daniel once again wrapped his arms tightly around Betty as though if he let go she'd somehow drift away and the woman couldn't help but let out a small laugh though her arms easily slid around Daniel's back and returned the embrace full heartedly._

"_It's just so great to see you again, you look…. Wow." She heard Daniel speak softly against her ear and Betty couldn't help the shiver that crawled up her spine and though she realized that he hadn't let her go, neither had she and she found that she was quite content in this position with her former boss, the bouquet he'd bought her pressed against the small of her back as the two simply stood there letting the world pass them by but not sparing it once passing glance. Instead his eyes seemed locked on her face and Betty couldn't bring herself to look away from her handsome friend. "I'm sorry I didn't handle your leaving any better Betty it really killed me to see you go and not even have the courage to swallow my own pride to tell you good-bye." Betty could hear the emotion in Daniel's voice and it was enough to make her slightly emotional and the woman shook her head brushing off his heartfelt apology just glad to know that she'd still have the playboy in her life because life without Daniel Meade… It just didn't seem plausible._

"_Make it up to me with dinner." The woman said with a smirk before finally breaking the embrace and grabbing her bouquet taking a moment to deeply inhale the sunflowers finding that the fragrance reminded her of home and made her smile widen even more, something Daniel couldn't help but to notice…_

Daniel stood outside the flower shop after work, he wanted to get some flowers Betty tonight and surprise her with dinner at home, his treat. He loved doing things like this for Betty, to have the chance to show her that the things he was telling her weren't just talk they were his dreams and the past three days had been just that, his _dream_ he came home to her, spent the weekend with her, was able to hold her without having to sleep with her as though it was his damn job. Not that anyone was pulling his arm to do that but well sometimes it was nice to just relax and not have to worry about someone walking in before they could finish. He knew it was all coming to an end far sooner than he cared to admit but for now he'd take it one day at a time and cross that bridge however he could… When he had to but for now he was going to buy her a dozen orange roses and make his lover her favorite dish. No one may have known or believed it but Daniel was a damn good chef and if Betty behaved herself she might even get to kiss the chef. The sun was quickly dimming though and it was what he hated about September, the changing hour the changing seasons there was so much change that Daniel often found his head spinning but then again the fall always brought him back to that fateful day that had led to everything that Daniel and Betty were living right now…

_Daniel couldn't believe that of all the people in the world his half brother had decided to make his way on over to merry ol' England to date his former assistant. The man didn't know who he was more angry at, himself for waiting, Tyler for doing it, or Betty for actually dating the man! There had to be some sort of rule against dating your boss' half brother when he was in love with you, did God just like pulling at the man's emotional heartstrings and sanity? That hadn't stopped Daniel though, he still took Betty out once a week for dinner, bought her a bouquet of flowers and despite knowing that his brother hated it because Betty had told him as such, he still did it and Betty still accepted it. The time was passing though and Daniel's feelings for Betty with each and every weekly date were growing stronger. They shared everything with one another and he even had to deal with a few blind dates from Betty because she wanted to see him happy again but she could never seem to understand that he was waiting for the perfect woman to open her eyes to him something she always seemed insistent on veering away from._

_Enough was enough though! He had gone through Christmases, Easters and every other holiday in between watching Tyler and Betty get closer, watching him force his way deeper into the woman's life, moving in with her taking her to visit her family with surprise trips to New York and leaving Daniel alone like a dog without a bone. Daniel just couldn't keep playing the fool much longer and he had to do something about it, he needed to get her out of his mind and figure out if what he was feeling was just because he didn't have her or if it was because he knew he couldn't live without her. He'd invited her over for dinner to his place, their usual weekly dinner date only this time he was cooking. He'd long ago cooked the chicken and had it simmering slowly in the creamy basil sauce while he waited for the water for his pasta to boil, Betty was on her way and he could feel his heart racing against his chest and a lump in his throat because while he didn't know what he was going to do, Daniel __**did**__know that he just couldn't keep playing this charade that he was OK with her and his brother being together while he made an ass out of himself in a job that regularly over looked him simply because he had been born into money and most of the people there couldn't seem to find a twenty in their bank account. Maybe it sounded petty of him but between the nerves and his third glass of viognier wine Daniel was pretty on edge. _

_The knock on his door startled Daniel who tore his eyes from the cold pot of water and as he walked to the door from his kitchen the man threw back the rest of his wine and left the cup on his bar before finally making it to the door only to find Betty standing there with her mega watt smile, a bottle of wine and a box of chocolate covered strawberries. _

"_I know you said not to worry about it but I just couldn't let you do all the work, it smells **so** good Daniel you really didn't have to go through all of this I really would have been fine with a slice of pizza." Betty rambled nervously as she let Daniel take off her navy overcoat, trying to ignore the fact that his shaky breath on her neck didn't make her weak at the knees because she had a boyfriend and her boyfriend just so happened to be this man's brother. They were friends, two friends just having dinner and catching up about their week. "Is there anything I can help you with?" The woman said after clearing her throat doing her best not to notice that she really loved the way Daniel could make even the most casual wear just so good looking. The black cashmere sweater he wore clung beautifully to his body and the way the sleeves were rolled just above his elbow it just drove the woman wild._

"_No thanks but why don't you serve yourself some wine." Betty saw Daniel gesture towards the already open bottle of wine and the woman had to roll her eyes._

"_Couldn't wait for me there could you?" And before she could even set about looking for a glass Daniel was pressed against her back and this time it was impossible to ignore the fact that his hot breath on her made her want to let out a girlish sigh but she couldn't really sink into the feeling of him because she still wasn't fully aware of what it was that was happening. "Daniel… What the hell are you doing?" And if it hadn't been for the shake in her voice maybe Daniel would have come to his senses, apologized and made up some excuse about being slightly drunk, but he could hear the waiver in her voice and he knew that she was as affected by him as he was by her and he just couldn't take this any longer. _

"_It's not like you ever waited for me." The man mumbled almost angrily not letting up one bit and in fact wrapping his arm around Betty's waist pulling her closer letting his hands travel to a place he otherwise wouldn't even dare think about. _

"_Daniel, please just tell me what you want from me." He could hear fear in Betty's voice and it was telling him to let go, to apologize and to leave the country because he was a horrible excuse of a man but he could also hear the unmistakable quiver of desire and Daniel refused to believe that Betty wasn't OK with what he was doing and considering the way she was starting to melt into him it only told him that she had thought about this as much as he had since having gotten to London. _

"_Why with him?" Daniel asked in a way that almost felt accusing to Betty who turned in his tight grasp best she could to give her friend an incredulous glare._

"_How dare you question-" But she didn't even get the chance to finish her outraged statement before Daniel's lips crashed over hers and his hands were hiking up her dress and as badly as Betty didn't want to want him, she just couldn't help but find this the hottest experience of her young life. She couldn't do this though, She was with Tyler, they were happy, it was two years invested into a life with this person to be thrown away because her sex god ex boss finally couldn't have it his way. "No." He felt Betty push away from him and fix her dress and hair._

"_If this is what you wanted from me Daniel, if this is how you think all our years of friendship is going to end up you are sorely mistaken and I'll be willing to believe you were drunk but I won't do this I just won't." The woman said as she pushed Daniel off of her and started towards the door only to find herself once again pinned against Daniel and a wall, turned so that her chest was pressed against his, his deep cerulean eyes locked on her startled espresso eyes. His eyes were full of a determination and desire Betty had **never** seen and to know that it was directed at her terrified and excited the woman endlessly but this was wrong on so many levels and they needed to stop, more importantly **she** needed to get home to her boyfriend and take a hot (or cold) shower to get rid of this feeling. _

"_Tell me you love him and I'll let you go." The man said arrogantly enough that he was sure she wouldn't tell him that and it enraged Betty that Daniel could think that he was just the trump card of her life. _

"_Who are you to question my-" And there were those damned lips cutting her off again and as hard as she was fighting it, Betty just couldn't deny that kissing Daniel felt almost as natural as his grabbing hold of his body like she was his property. Betty loved it though and even though she knew she shouldn't have, the woman gave into the kiss and the heat of the moment and wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck relieved to find him picking her up, affording her the luxury of melting even deeper against him, her legs wrapped tightly around the man's fit torso allowing him access to whatever part of her he wanted. "Daniel." The woman practically whimpered and Daniel didn't think he would ever be the same after hearing her mutter his name in such a way. _

_It didn't take much effort to get Betty into his room and throw her on his bed, peeling off his shirt before once again laying himself over her._

"_Betty I love you, nothing is going to take that away and I don't care what you think or say I'm never going to stop fighting for you." He said with such a conviction that Betty knew they were heading down a turbulent road but that look in his eyes and the feelings stirred up in her, Betty just couldn't bring herself to say no to him because she knew that as hard as she was fighting not to… The woman loved him even more then she herself could understand._

"_Just take your pants off for now." The woman ordered quickly turning herself over to give Daniel the opportunity to unzip her dress, surprised by the sharp slap to her ass and her reaction to the slap even more so. Letting out a pleased moan at the sharp contact Betty was pleased to find that at least she wasn't the only one thrown for a loop by that moan because it hadn't taken Daniel much longer to rip the dress off and her underwear as well. _

"_Who knew you were such a masochist, how many men have ever taken the time to actually **fuck** you Betty?" And Betty didn't know what it was about the word, about being left naked in front of Daniel Meade, her friend, her former boss, a man far too well versed on the woman body for her own personal preference, but all of it just took her to an entirely new level she'd never been to before and the woman could only shake her head dumbly and let Daniel continue to use her like she was his property which by this point felt about right. "Such a shame, I would have expected more from my dear half brother." She heard the man say but it was the deep rumble of his laughter that made the woman's head roll back and let Daniel do as he pleased which really was of no loss to Betty who felt the man trail a line of kisses down her neck, to her breasts and down her stomach before jumping down to her calved making Betty cry out in frustration._

"_Patience darling, you'll get everything you want and more." And the unspoken promise of a night full of firsts practically had Betty begging Daniel to just quit playing games and show her just what it was she was missing, Daniel would have none of that though and instead kissed a slow trail up each of her legs, leaving on the woman's suede grey pumps finding them to be a turn on for him, though Betty could have been in a potato sack and he would have still wanted to ravish her into insanity. When Daniel started licking a trail up her thigh he felt the woman fighting to keep her legs open for the man slowly teasing her and for every time her legs clenched or her hips bucks Daniel nipped at the tender flesh he was lavishing with attention but even that seemed to be a treat for Betty who couldn't keep herself from holding in her moans, music to Daniel's ears and easily becoming an addiction. _

_When Daniel finally reached his prize, he could feel Betty's breath hitch as she let out a cry when he flicked his tongue across her slit softly, instantly her hands pulled Daniel's hair, everything about this feeling dirty and like a dream but it was such an incredible turn on to have **Daniel** doing to her what he was, something she'd never let anybody else even close to doing what he did without even asking permission and bless him for it. He only smirked at her aggressions and simply continued on, finding the taste of her sweet much like her and just as addictive, Daniel knew there was no way he'd be able to get Betty out of his mind and there was no way that this was just a moment of insanity brought on by years of friendship and a makeover. Betty was his life, Betty had seen him through his worst and brought him back to life. He just wanted to repay the favor by being there for her as everything he could be and obviously she had never been tended to that greatly in the bedroom because the cries of the woman writhing on his bed while his hands did their best to hold her hips still were not that of a woman who knew what it mean to be satisfied. Unsurprisingly it hadn't taken Betty long to come but Daniel wasn't done with her and didn't plan on letting her walk out of this bed… Not very well at least. _

_Kissing a path back up to the woman's lips, Daniel didn't hesitate in pressing his lips against Betty's, his tongue swiftly seeking entrance past her plump lips pleased to find that he was easily accepted as Betty's hands wound into Daniel's hair._

"_I've never-"_

"_That's the first of many nevers coming true tonight Betty." Daniel said with a smirk before taking his pants off, uncaring to the fact that the water he'd had boiling was spilling over as was his pasta sauce, all Daniel cared about was having Betty fall apart in his beds, about taking her to places she'd never been before and showing her that sometimes to see the stars all you needed was the right man to hit that right spot…_

Daniel was shaken from his trip down memory lane by a surprise face he hadn't seen in almost a week.

"Were you taking a nap gramps?" Daniel couldn't help but to smirk at the nickname as horribly unsettling as it was, coming from Natalia's lips it was almost a compliment. It was definitely a surprise to see the woman there, dressed to the 'T' in a pair of designer jeans that clung to her like a second sleeve and a distressed grey shirt brought together by the ankle boot stilettos, the woman definitely made the Fashion forward list for a reason she went from chic to couture to trendy to classic within the bat of an eye and owned every style she wore, but with a body like hers it really was difficult to look bad in _anything_ she wore.

"Ah Natalia, I'm starting to think I'll need to get a restraining order." The man joked before pulling the young heiress in for a hug. "What are you doing around these parts? You do realize you might find a pap hanging around here sooner or later." The man joked with the woman who shrugged her shoulders and lifted the ray ban aviators from her eyes and rested them on top of her head giving Daniel a glimpse at those ice blue eyes.

"Well I guess MODE needs to sell a magazine or two now that you're not around to give it a human's flare." Natalia joked before pulling up a young man that Daniel hadn't earlier noticed, though when Natalia Macias was giving you her undivided attention you hardly wasted your time concerning yourself with the outside world. The face was familiar though and Daniel grinned at the man not giving Natalia the chance to formerly introduce them before he was shaking hands with one of the strikers for Manchester United.

"Lucas Hassett! Wow, you're a great talent kid, I've been watching you play since you started at what was it 16?" Daniel said greatly enthused to meet such a young and yet such an accomplished athlete, he had no idea that Natalia knew him though, were they dating? Surely that would have come up some time between them, after all they'd been seeing each other on a regular basis for months now, just last week when Betty had cancelled their lunch date Daniel invited Natalia out for coffee, how would this guy feel knowing that he'd been regularly taking Natalia out since they'd met that one night in the Viper Pit?

"Hah, yeah, and you must be Daniel Meade, Natalia never shuts up about you." And suddenly Daniel felt a wave of surprise wash over him as he saw Natalia throw Lucas a death stare that meant she'd probably be beating him senseless at first given chance but the look of utter delight on Lucas' face told Daniel that obviously Natalia on more than one occasion had earned this very payback.

"Don't flatter him Superstar, I mean it's just how many straight guys can you name that know and use good fashion sense."

"Seven, including me" Daniel responded without skipping a beat making Natalia laugh but shove him playfully either way, to which Daniel could only throw his hands up in surrender. "These bones are brittle if I end up in the hospital I'm sending you the bill."

"Oh I'm sure Natalia would _love_ to play nurse for you Mr. Meade." And despite himself Daniel let out a hearty laugh watching Natalia silently threaten the thoroughly amused soccer star.

"Well before Lucas here decides to tell you what color underwear I'm wearing-"

"Pink lace hipsters from Victoria's Secret, she had me help her pick them out because she likes to violate me from time to time."

"-And we're gone now, I'll call you later Daniel I might need you to help me bury a body though." The woman said, her face turning a bright shade of red as she shoved Lucas away before he could open his mouth anymore thoroughly killing off any of the badass points she'd gotten with Daniel, but before she could leave she felt herself being turned around and a pink rose being placed into her hand. At the look of surprise on her face Daniel only smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Just bring me a pair of gloves for the hand prints and a cup of coffee to keep me quiet." The man teased making the woman roll her eyes but smile up at him.

"You're just as bad as him, I'll call you later." The woman said before once again departing with her friend, disappearing in the crowded street, though not before Daniel could see her getting in at the man who was clearly amused, as was Daniel who once again turned back to the flower shop and picked up a bouquet of fresh orange roses finding that the color and scent of them reminded him perfectly of Betty and he couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she got them. After paying for the dozen roses and his gift to Natalia, Daniel wasted no more time in heading home, eager to get to Betty already, eager to have her in his arms, to kiss her, to rip her clothes off and take her just as roughly as he had their first time together.

He knew that the first time with someone you loved was supposed to be soft and gentle and sweet, but that was for typical lovers and as far as loves went his and Betty's love was as far from conventional as could be and though they had their tender and caring moments, when Daniel thought back to their first time together it was as explosive and hard as their relationship had always been. Unforgiving and truthful and if others thought that being rough with you lover was a sign of disrespect Daniel felt sorry for those poor sobs because having Betty face down, screaming into his bedsheets was one of the most beautiful things Daniel had ever seen and he in fact loved her more for being free enough to let herself go completely with him him.

Just the thought of what she was doing now, in his home, waiting for him to come home almost like a good little housewife, it made Daniel want to get their faster, made him want to practically run home but he had to maintain _some_ air of dignity to himself… right? Besides walking helped him clear his head of the days events, more importantly of Natalia. She was a beautiful woman and _obviously_ single but she could have her pick of men so why was she so content in friendship with Daniel? Because nothing had ever happened, aside from some hand holding here and there and the one night he spent the night at her house (on her couch) because he'd been too drunk to remember his address and had been spouting off his Manhattan address for five minutes before the cab driver finally got fed up and dumped him off with Natalia. They got along great but the truth of the matter was she wasn't Betty and she was as emotionally unavailable as he was because he thought his love life had been screwed up enough that is until Natalia had spent a different drunken night spewing off about her past loves and getting cheated on with her ex's best friend, and that comparison had been enough to run Daniel's blood cold.

Still she was a beautiful woman and he was a relatively single man… Who was in love with the woman currently residing in his apartment, so shooing the thoughts of Natalia away, Daniel happily slid his key into the lock and turning it to find his apartment eerily quiet and slowly but surely dread started to fill him as he walked swiftly through his apartment calling out for Betty to no response as he rushed into his bedroom though Daniel couldn't help but to let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Betty laying down across the bed, resting comfortably in his bed, covered only by the shirt he'd worn the night before and Daniel couldn't help but to fall in love with Betty all over again.

Slowly letting down the bouquet of roses in front of her, doing his best to be quiet Daniel slipped off his over coat and suit jacket, followed suit by his shoes before crawling into bed with Betty, his arm wrapping around her waist pleased to find that she automatically crawled back into him nestling herself into his chest and letting out a sight of contentedness. A feeling Daniel reiterated completely as he rested against Betty, letting the day pass him by because dinner could wait for later and talking could be done at any hour but the chance to have Betty as his own was limited and he had to greedily eat up every last second he could with her while he still could.


	5. I Can Feel Your Heartbeat Through Me

**Author's Note: **Let me start off by saying... X_X OK now that that's over and done with! I dedicate this chapter to Betty The Bonita for being such a supporter of this story and I'm sorry I didn't have it up sooner but my work schedule and drama just sucked the life out of me and if it feels a little rushed at the end that would be because now their's family drama. -suchafunlife- anywhoo I will be getting to work on chapter six tonight when I get the chance and if you haven't noticed I have now named the chapters by using different lyrics from a song I feel fits the chapter to some extent and that was inspiring me while I wrote the chapter. So here it is I really hope you guys enjoy and please don't forget to review, reviews make me all happy like :D love you all!

**Song: Heartbeat - Enrique Iglesias Ft. Nicole Scherzinger**

* * *

Betty woke up to the sound of her hunger growling uncontrollably and the feel of a warm distinctly male form holding her close. Betty couldn't help but to smile at the fact that Daniel was holding her close to his chest once again and in the dark of the room it wasn't difficult to tell that they had slept well into the night which would attain for her hunger pains. Still the woman couldn't help but to rest against Daniel and take in the room around her surprised to find the large bouquet of vibrant orange roses resting in front of her, letting out a squeal of surprise the girl woke Daniel up quite easily with her jumping as she took the large bouquet in her arms and took a long sniff of the flowers loving how the sweet scent tickled her senses. Daniel laid back a moment letting Betty rest against him as she took in the sight of her roses a treat he hadn't partaken in indulging her with since their entire sordid affair started.

"They're beautiful, Daniel." She spoke softly to the man as though if she spoke any louder they would be caught and Daniel merely smiled and rubbed her back.

"They've got nothing on you Betty." And though she hated herself for doing it, Betty felt herself falling for Daniel again and leaned over to brush her lips against his pleased to find that he returned the sentiment for what it was, a simple show of affection. She knew he wanted her because he made enough of a statement about it every time they were together but the past few days when the pressure was off it was almost like a glimmer of what they once were… Only _so_ much better and honestly much easier, whatever small boundaries they'd once had, had disappeared the moment Betty let Daniel in. The woman knew she shouldn't be doing this either, Tyler would be getting home Wednesday afternoon and it only gave them tomorrow but even the impending deadline looming over them did nothing and in fact Betty only felt herself lay against Daniel smiling at the feather light touch of his fingers following the dramatic dip of her waist the to swell of her hip and down her leg, memorizing every contour of her body, relishing the feel of her soft and supple skin against his fingertips.

"Don't go to work tomorrow." Betty pleaded softly and Daniel's eyes tore away from her figure to meet with her soft pleading eyes. There was that fear of unfinished business in her eyes and Daniel could see that she was as uneasy about their time coming to an end as he was and though a part of him wanted to shake some simple sense into Betty and just have her give into him, he just couldn't bring himself to dampen their light mood and merely pressed his lips against Betty's and smiled into their kiss.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Now I don't know about you but _I _am starving, how about I cook us up a late night dinner? Want pasta or pancakes." Daniel said with a wide grin, he didn't know what it was about being able to cook for her that excited him it was like he would be able to show her who he really was because as much as she knew about him he had never had the chance to properly 'woo' the woman because everything had started out in a manner that Daniel was not proud of. Did he regret it? Of course not because given an opportunity Daniel would just at the chance to tear Betty away from Tyler despite Betty's adamant begging of Daniel to play nice.

"Oh Daniel you had work today we can just order takeout I'm fine with that." Betty said nonchalant though the playfully threatening glare that Daniel threw her before rolling over her bracing his weight on his elbows made the woman let out a playful scream.

"Are you doubting my cooking skills Betty Suarez because I'll have you know, that unlike you, I don't burn soup." The man teased and Betty couldn't help but to pout something the man found thoroughly amusing and heartwarming because there were few things Betty couldn't do and cooking was one of those and because of it the woman just preferred it not be brought up. Placing a peck on her lips turning the pout into a grin Daniel once again mumbled his question against her lips content to just stay with his lips pressed against her letting out a laugh when he felt her mumble her response against his kiss.

"Alfredo… With shrimp… And garlic bread." The woman said excitedly her stomach starting to growl at just the thought making Daniel laugh as he broke their kiss only to let his lips trial down her neck and to her stomach blowing a quick raspberry against the fabric of his shirt making the woman laugh and squirm as she watch Daniel stand from the bed and smile at the woman who still was resting quite comfortably against his bed and he let her rest while he unbuttoned the buttons of his work shirt and tossing it onto Betty leaving him in his black pressed pants and wife beater and Betty had to admit she _really_ appreciated the view. Giving the woman on his bed a knowing look, Daniel merely sent her a wink before walking over to a draw to pull out a pair of black flannel pajamas and unabashedly changed in front of Betty who did her best to keep from biting her lip because all she really wanted to eat at this point was Daniel and the woman needed to remember that without food she just wouldn't be able to keep up with her voracious sex life much longer. For his part Daniel let out a short but pleased laugh that sent shivers straight through Betty but did a pretty good job of not showing it and rolling her eyes before watching Daniel shake his head and walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen leaving Betty to her thoughts for a moment when Daniel turned into the kitchen and her view was cut off by the bar.

Everything about this was so easy, everything was effortless and though she knew both were avoiding the topic of Tyler and this entire thing coming to an end quicker than either wanted to admit, Betty couldn't deny the fact that this was a side of Daniel she had never seen and never known before and so far it was quickly turning into the side of him that she wanted around all the time. He was still the sweet and funny Daniel with a good heart from all the time but even when he was with Molly Betty had never seen such tenderness, he'd seen her concern to the point of treating her like a fine China doll and he'd seen his ambitions with Sofia to turn them into something more than what they were but never had Betty seen him in a way that was as concerned for her well being as it was passionate to let her know that he was there and he wasn't going anywhere even if it meant doing things that neither were proud of though Betty had every reason to think that Daniel really wasn't as affected by all of this as she was. Maybe it sounded self centered on her part but really didn't she have the right to be? After all it was _him_ that had shown up and waited until it was too late _yet again_. He'd done it in New York when she had told him and he'd done it three years ago in London when they'd met for dinner. Betty didn't want to blame Daniel but if he had told her as soon as he had gotten there then maybe leaving Tyler wouldn't have turned into some unthinkable task, maybe they would have been living like this already and the underlying tension of a breaking point fast coming wouldn't be there. Betty just wanted Daniel to be happy and as much as she loved that it was with her when she could see him smile like he had never done before Betty was tired of stringing him along and of not being brave enough to allow herself some happiness despite these past few days. Betty couldn't love Daniel though because then that put everything on the line and if Betty didn't have her safety net _when_ things went wrong what would she have aside from six years and a best friend lost? Betty could live with her and Daniel's adulterous affairs she couldn't live with Daniel out of her life, she simply couldn't bear the thought of going just one day without seeing him or hearing his voice without his smile or hugs. Just the thought of it created a physical pain in Betty's chest that her face crimp and the woman was glad for the fact that Daniel was in the kitchen scurrying around with various pots and pans with a smile no doubt on his face and suddenly it hit Betty…

Tomorrow wasn't here yet and they had made a silent promise not to let their limited time together be a hindrance to what they _did_ have. Betty may not have been able to bring herself to trust Daniel but there was one thing she had no say in and that was in loving him so lifting herself up from the bed and away from all those thoughts that had embedded themselves into her and silently padded out into the kitchen to find to her amusement Daniel over the stove a pan on almost every burner. One for the water to boil, one with the shrimp cooking nicely, one for his apparently homemade alfredo sauce. It was enough to make the woman's heart swell as she snuck up behind Daniel and wrapped her arms tightly around the man's midsection, pressing a kiss just under his shoulder blade amused to find his hands suddenly covering hers before turning around in her grip.

"Well if all it takes to get some appreciation is a homecooked meal I wish you would have told me _before _I spent millions on fancy dinners and desserts, I don't want you distracting me though, so sit your pretty ass on that counter before you make me burn my shrimp." And neither could keep from bursting out into laughter for a moment before Betty found herself being perched up on a counter and Daniel suddenly back to working over the stove, that same smile still on his face as he set his attention back to the cream simmering as he added in what looked like cream cheese and parmesan to Betty, though she wasn't exactly sure so don't take her word to it. The shrimp smelled heavenly though, that much Betty was sure of and the woman could help but to inhale deeply something that caught Daniel's attention who merely smiled at the woman sitting beside him silently observing as he quickly scooped his shrimp onto a plate before adding another handful of shrimp and seasoning them lightly with salt, pepper and some chopped basil. "Wanna taste?" The man asked suddenly breaking the comfortable silence between the two and Betty nodded her head eagerly as Daniel picked up one of the perfectly pink shrimp and placed it against her lips allowing Betty to take an eager bite and she had to admit that it was probably the most perfect piece of shrimp she'd ever had, be it the seasoning or the man who cooked it the woman didn't know but the moan of appreciation that passed her lips signaled to Daniel that yep he was _that_ damn good and the man couldn't help but to smirk and eat the rest of the shrimp that Betty had left in his hands. Mimicking her moan with one of his own Daniel locked eyes with Betty who was left licking her lips for one reason or another and he winked at the woman once again.

"You like?"

"I love." The woman said and that word off Betty's lips so effortlessly made Daniel's heart skip a beat because in their entire time together, since they'd started this twisted affair Betty had never once uttered those words to him and suddenly it felt like he had a shot and yet again Daniel let himself believe that if he kept up, it he played the gentleman, the lover, the sordid affair, all the while reminding Betty of what they were when they were together then maybe she would learn to love him the way he did her. Daniel suspected that love was never the issue though, he knew he was a big risk for Betty and his track record had done nothing for her but if Daniel was so willing to look past the fact that when it came to love Betty could never make a decision why could she grant him the same show of faith? Smiling at the woman though Daniel just didn't want to waste this time fighting, they fought enough when Tyler was around that right now it was just too much to bring in the heavy topics and bring down their playful mood.

"Well it was me that made it you had to figure it wouldn't be anything other than perfect." He said with a wry grin watching as Betty rolled her eyes and grabbed for another shrimp though instead of eating it the woman merely flung it at Daniel letting out a loud laugh of amusement when she saw the seafood hit her former boss on the cheek with a noticeable 'pop' and fall at his feet leaving Daniel in complete shock as he cast Betty an incredulous look only to find her snickering at the man in amusement as she popped another shrimp into her mouth as though nothing had happened and Daniel merely glared at the woman playfully quickly grabbing the shredded basil he had leftover and flicked it at Betty amused to find it sticking to her hair and thoroughly wiping off the smug look from her face.

"Oh you're going to regret that Mr. Meade."

"Am I really?" Daniel said with a smug look as he made sure to turn off the stove not sure what was going to happen but not willing to catch his house on fire, no sooner had he started backing away though was Betty hopping off the counter with a spatula and a jar of peanut butter she'd found. The grin on her face told him that she was up to no good and he was starting to wonder if they'd ever be able to eat a meal he'd cooked for them. Daniel watched as Betty dug the spatula into the peanut butter and made a move to run away, opening the fridge door for protecting but ass the man tried to shy away he felt a giant plop dead center of his back and the heavy feeling of the peanut butter sticking to his shirt. "You hit me!" He accused the woman who was laughing heartily at his expense.

"You asked for it!" Betty yelled back, digging the spatula back into the jar in a hurry when she saw Daniel reach over the fridge door and grab a bottle of maple syrup opening it hastily and squeezing the bottle, squirting the contents all over Betty who let out a scream of disgust, amusement of surprise.

"I am _not_ a pancake!" The woman said though her laughter made it hard for Daniel to really take her seriously as she did her best to run towards the fridge to find new ammo despite the syrup being slathered all over her making it an especially difficult task seeing that the woman was continually slipping and having to catch her balance to keep from losing the battle. Despite the syrup bottle currently sticking to her, the floor and anywhere else that Daniel's aim may have gotten to. Quickly though Betty reached for the first thing she could find and though the bunch of grapes wouldn't do much the woman couldn't help but let out another amused laugh when she managed to hit Daniel square in the forehead apparently causing the man pain as he started chasing her to which Betty tried her best to run away from only to find herself losing her balance and Daniel crashing into her sending them both stumbling to the floor in a pile of sticky, messy, and somewhat uncomfortable laughter.

Betty rolled over into Daniel as the man stared at the ceiling trying to regain his breath after the short bout of flying food and laughter and recovering from the harsh floor and he couldn't help but to notice Betty laughing at him.

"And just what's so funny?" The man asked mildly curious to her response seeing as she seemed to be thoroughly amused by the fact that he had just taken the brunt of their fall.

"You're starting to let your age show there old man." The woman teased, and though Daniel knew he was no spring chicken the women in his life as of late definitely seemed to enjoy throwing his age around. Glaring at the woman a devious grin on his face, Daniel rolled over, leaving Betty beneath him watching the mirth in her eyes as she took one of the grapes from the bunch in her hands still and flicked it as his forehead again, going into another fit of laughter at the fact that it bounced off of him and back to her. Daniel was glad to find her laughing, to see a side of her showing that he hadn't seen from her since their entire affair began.

Daniel didn't like to think that about it because his mind and logic was always far too cruel for his liking and he didn't want to believe that the fact that he had ruined the Betty he had fallen in love, but when he had pushed her into this it was his fault wasn't it? He knew that he wasn't holding a gun to her head and as a matter of fact Daniel hadn't even known about Tyler's trip to Rio until the woman was calling him from his front steps asking for a hand with her luggage. He knew a part of Betty loved Daniel and that her heart did belong to him but he also knew that Betty was a glutton for self punishment and that if Daniel had never been the one to take that step over the edge Betty would have been glad to fool herself into thinking that a life with Tyler was what she wanted and that her and Daniel were nothing more and nothing less then best of friends.

Daniel loved their bond there was no denying that but he also loved Betty on a level that friendship with the woman would never be enough for him. He didn't want to ruin their few days together but God what would it take to make the woman beneath him see that if he was given the chance he'd make it damn well worth it, didn't these past few days prove it? He just couldn't bear the thoughts in his mind much longer they were gnawing away at his sanity and if his age was starting to show he had to wonder if maybe it was because since their entire affair begun Daniel was suddenly starting to _feel_ his age.

"I'll show you my age." Daniel said, completely surprised by the fact that the amusement in his voice completely masked the raging turmoil in his mind and quickly before his thoughts got the best of him or Betty could find herself seeing right through him, Daniel lifted a hand into the air playfully wiggling the fingers only to find Betty squirming and laughing and begging the man not to do what she knew he was going to do and did. No sooner was Betty trying to scramble away from Daniel who had one arm wrapped securely around the woman's waist had Daniel's free hand began a relentless attack on her side tickling the woman without abandon leaving Betty gasping for air in between strong bouts of laughter and cried of a truce. Daniel couldn't help but to find that seeing the woman's eyes lighting up and cheeks flushed in this manner was almost as good as seeing her in the throes of passion.

"Mercy, mercy, mercy!" The woman cried out doing her best to get a grip on Daniel's hand that went from one place to the next leaving Betty a sore and thoroughly spent laughing pile of mess.

"Now what were you saying about my age?" Daniel asked smugly, his hand still tickling Betty though it had calmed down considerably and left the woman some room to breath, though she couldn't quite get in a good breath just yet.

"I-I-I'm sor-ry Daniel!" The woman said in between laughter, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she finally managed to seize Daniel's hand in hers only to find the one around her waist starting up the attack and she was finally begging the man to let her breath, leaving Daniel feeling quite proud of himself to get Betty panting _without_ having to take off his pants, now that was skill.

"As you should be." The man said with a smirk cutting off Betty's unamused stare when his lips pressed against Betty's gingerly taking his time to kiss his former assistant better, letting Betty take the initiative of deepening the kiss if she wanted and somewhat bemused by the fact that despite all of her sudden confidence in illicit affairs when met with tender love and emotion at least from Daniel, it was like his old Betty; shy and uncertain, as if she was punishing herself for wanting more. Not wanting to push the woman and not wanting to keep being thought of as nothing more than a man who would do anything to accost women Daniel broke the tender kiss and looked at the woman resting beneath him warmly. Rolling over once again Daniel found himself resting in the middle of the kitchen floor in front of an open refrigerator with Betty resting against his chest somewhat silent after the mess they made in the kitchen and not liking it one bit. Daniel didn't want to lose Betty to her thoughts because he knew where they would be heading and so thinking quickly the man reached above him and managed to grab hold of the carton of strawberries he'd bought Betty the other day because he knew how much she loved the red berry.

Opening the plastic case Daniel didn't say a word as he held the ripe morsel up to the woman's lips, a smirk on his face at the sudden surprise on her face followed by the sheepish look of being caught and the timid bite of the fruit, glad that he was able to distract the woman from whatever it was going through her mind at the moment and brought her back to their present… The present where his mess was a sticky mess and he looked over at the wall and couldn't help but let out a sudden bark of laughter confusing Betty as she looked up at him, her look telling him everything and all Daniel could do was point to the wall where a glob of peanut butter rested and a grape managed to stick to for dear life making the woman break into a fresh new fit of laughter as she took a grape from her bunch and fed it to Daniel, repaying the man for his favor of saving her from her thoughts.

"We _really_ made a mess." The woman said though there was no sign of remorse in her voice and Daniel had to agree.

"We sure did but at least now we have one thing to look forward to." Daniel said with a devilish gleam as he took a bite from another strawberry, looking down to find Betty giving him a confused stare to which the man only muttered two words.

"Cleaning up." And it suddenly dawned on the woman who found that honestly her appetite could wait because the thought of getting the syrup and peanut butter out of her hair was almost as exhilarating as the thought of sharing a hot shower with the man she was currently resting on. Licking her lips, Betty found that she just couldn't wait though and quickly did her best to stand up from the slippery yet somehow sticky floor, leaving Daniel somewhat confused as his eyes drank up every bit of Betty as they could. From her feet up to the shapely calved that led up to her supple thighs and thick hips that were masked by his shirt. All up to her chest until his eyes finally met with Betty's and he saw the look in her eyes that only promised good things to come but she quickly walked away from Daniel and out of the kitchen confusing the utter hell out of the man until he saw her from the bar unbuttoning her shirt and tossing it over a barstool, leaving her in a mere set of black panties, not that the man could see but he had gotten a good look at them in the middle of their food fight and his imagination didn't have to wonder much more about what it was she was doing when he heard the water in his shower start to run and it took all of Daniel's self restraint not to crawl into the bedroom and tear his way into the shower and Betty.

Instead Daniel gave himself a moment to catch himself, to act like something more than the hormonal teenage boy that wouldn't get the hell out of his mind and stood, doing his best not to picture Betty in the shower and the water and suds cascading off her every dramatic curve. Instead the man bit his lip and did his best to casually stroll into the bedroom and the adjoining bathroom with the door wide open where he could see the steam from the hot shower Betty had drawn up and as he neared he could see the glass doors of his shower fogged up but could still make out her figure washing out the maple syrup and the man had to do his best from barging in there and pinning her against the wall. Peeling off the layers of uncomfortable food stained clothes, Daniel finally made his way into the shower to find Betty waiting for him eagerly, her arms wrapping around his shoulders best the could as she looked up at him and smirked.

"I wondered what was taking you so long, I was starting to get lonely." The woman pouted but not for long before Daniel's lips had crashed against hers and his hands wandered down from her petite waist to the swell of her hips and over her ass picking her up with practiced ease, urging the woman to wrap her legs around Daniel's waist as she felt her back being pressed into the tile shower wall a little more roughly then Daniel had intended but only all the more to Betty's excitement as she broke the kiss to try and get in a good breath only to find that her heart racing and the steam of the water was making it all to hard as Daniel found his lips running down her neck the sweet taste of syrup still clinging to her skin faintly drawing his attention down to her pert breasts and drawing a nipple into his mouth, Daniel couldn't help but to bite down on it gently his entire body thrilled by the pleased sounds that escaped Betty's mouth as her hands wrapped around the man's head grateful for the fact that he was holding her up because Betty felt herself getting lightheaded by every touch, kiss, and caress Daniel showered on her.

"You're going to be the death of me Betty Suarez." Daniel whispered against Betty's ear and the woman couldn't help the moan of ecstasy that passed her lips, what was it about him that made her so insane? Everything he said made her feel like she was stronger than even she had ever thought herself, more desirable than the sex and no matter how vulgar they got somehow it all just made her feel just so damn loved that the woman's head was spinning as she reached down between both of them and hastily grabbed Daniel's thick and evident length guiding him to her entrance as she whispered against Daniel's ear.

"Then let's make this life worth it." Daniel had never met a woman as confident in herself yet as hesitant as Betty and it sent him reeling as he plunged himself into Betty, his hand cradling her head to try and cushion the blows to her head from their liaisons as he felt the tension building up between them both as the food and thoughts that had plagued them both washed away and rolled down the drain leaving them both open and vulnerable to one another and somehow more comfortable with each other then they had been in years. Betty clung to Daniel like her life depended on it like letting him go meant losing him and the longer this was going on the harder it was getting for Betty to lie to herself and to accept Tyler as the man she wanted. Everything about her was made better with the man currently driving her to the brink of ecstasy, everything about Betty was completed with Daniel and she didn't want to keep lying she didn't want to keep dragging Tyler along.

He would get over it, he would find a woman he deserved and who loved him like he wanted but Betty just wasn't it, they were great friend who had good sex but they weren't connected on the level that four years of friendship and companionship had given Betty and Daniel, he knew what made her scream and made her lose her head, he could see her crying and in two minutes flat have her laughing. He'd made her cry on many an occasion but he'd also been the only one to make her smile and these past days with him and her in their own private world of love, sex and laughter, God what Betty wouldn't give to have it every day.

"Harder, Daniel." Betty panted against the man's ear, her nails digging into his shoulders as she heard his breathing become shallow as he complied to her request, doing his best to make it last but the more Betty moaned into his ear and met him thrust for thrust clenching against him rhythmically made the man see stars as he kept murmuring nonsensical things against Betty's neck, fighting with himself not to bite her as much as he wanted because marking her would only spell trouble for them and as much as he wanted all this out in the open, branding Betty would only be a bigger hassle then it was worth.

Feeling Betty come and go slack against him had been Daniel's final undoing, despite wanting it to last and wanting to make the woman scream his name like only she could, Daniel found ecstasy soon after Betty and they both had to take a second to collect themselves, Betty unwrapping herself from Daniel but resting against the man while she did her best to find her bearings and deal with gravity again and while Daniel braced himself against the wall doing his best to control his breathing, really feeling that anymore times like this and he really would die… But damn would it be worth it.

"I'm getting too old for this." The man finally joked making Betty laugh abruptly before swatting at his chest playfully and wrapping a hand around his neck to bring his lips down to meet hers.

"I just think you need some practice apparently." The woman said with a smirk before grabbing a loofah sponge from the shower rack and soaping it up to run across Daniel's chest and back, finding the look he was giving her far more then she could handle, apparently Daniel wouldn't have minded getting any practice in with her at all…

After a nice long and hot shower and an additional round or three of lovemaking, Daniel and Betty finally lay in bed, the moon low in the sky showing just how late the hour was, Betty had fallen asleep in Daniel's old Harvard gym shirt as the man rested in a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, Betty nestled comfortably against his chest, her hair tickling his nose, the scent of lavender and wildflowers entirely too intoxicating then should have been allowed because after their night in the shower he should have been resting like her, not considering giving her the wake up call of a lifetime, considering she'd only gotten to sleep twenty minutes earlier. Daniel just couldn't sleep though, his heart was heavy and his chest hurt just thinking about the fact that come tomorrow evening Betty would be gone and he'd be alone once again, shoved into the shadows of her life, behind her magazine, behind Tyler, and behind her family. She'd go home to a dinner with Tyler and he'd go home to an empty house full of memories of their small slice of heaven.

In the silent dark off the night, Daniel watched the night sky as it slowly brightened telling him just how badly it was that he needed to get to sleep but he just couldn't. _How_ was he going to live on after these past four days of having Betty to come home to? How was Daniel going to get any sleep knowing that instead of making love to him, Betty would be lying on her back for Tyler? It made him sick and it made him want to kill Tyler for daring to interfere in something that Daniel had wanted for_ him_, yes he had waited to long and yes Daniel knew a majority of this was his fault but Tyler had to have some set of balls to think that he could compete, to think that he was going to be the number one in Betty's life and the only reason Tyler even believed that was that Betty let him. Why? Daniel had no idea but he assumed that it had something to do with Betty being a sadomasochist who enjoyed torturing herself and Daniel in any way she could.

Daniel was thrown from his thoughts though by Betty's sudden stirring, she jumped up from her nestled position in the crook of his body, sleepily looking around his room before looking down at Daniel, her eyes watering slightly which alarmed Daniel who quickly ticked her back into her spot and pressed a kiss over the top of her head trying to soothe her because as much as he wanted to blame her for it, Daniel knew that Betty just didn't want to hurt anyone because if she took all the hurt that was fine, but not Tyler because to Betty the man was just an innocent bystander and she refused to believe that maybe, just _maybe_ he hadn't started the relationship with the purest of intentions.

"Sh, Betty just go back to bed I'll be here in the morning." Daniel murmured against the woman's hair, stroking her hair to get her to go back to sleep because as much as he'd like to talk about what had scared the living hell out of her, Daniel wanted some time to himself to think about what it was he was going to do to get over the fact that this was all going to end in less than 24 hours. It didn't take long for Betty to relax and fall into Daniel once again lost to the world, sleep taking pity on them both as he felt his eyes starting to droop shut, his mind finally deciding to let him be, at least until.

"I love you…" And just like that all sleep drained Daniel's body, Betty had never uttered those words to him, and from the looks of it had she not already been more asleep then awake the words never would have left her mouth either. Daniel was torn between elation and desperation. He had always suspected Betty loved him but to hear the words leave her mouth so effortlessly knowing they were for him it was beyond any feeling he had ever felt but to know that she would deny it once faced with it in the morning tore Daniel apart because he didn't want to ruin their last day together and he didn't want to drive her away but dammit she _loved_ him and somehow that only made all of this entirely all the more complicated…


	6. Can't Find The Place Your Heart Is Hidin

**Author's Note: Hello **my lurverlys! I actually really liked this chapter despite the fact that I think it's slightly a.d.d so I hope you guys all enjoy it and yes, it's going to hit the fan sooner then you'd expect I'm not sure how many chapters are left to this lovely story but I can say that a sequel will be in the works so however this ends, just make sure to keep an eye out for a party deux :3 Now I know it seems a little clusterfucky at the end, but I figure you're having an affair... It should feel kinda clusterfucky lol. So hope you all enjoy thank you for the AWESOME reviews and please keep 'em comin' because they motivate me to keep me going! hehe

P.S I HIGHLY recommend this song because I think it is going to express Daniel pretty damn well for the next chapter it's a slight set up and it is country but it's an AWESOME song I love it, and Blake Shelton is one good looking man hehe, that is all HAPPY READING!

**Song: Don't Make Me - Blake Shelton**

* * *

The bright midday sun shone through Daniel's large bay windows making the man groan irritably as he turned his face away from the window and to… An empty and cold bed. Daniel's blood turned as icy as the crumpled sheets and his mouth was suddenly dry at the feeling of being thrown for a loop was making the man's stomach churn as he tired to call Betty's name but found his voice had been lost somewhere in his panic. She wouldn't do that to him, not after last night no… She just couldn't, and of course she hadn't. Focusing long enough to hear over the sound of his own racing heart Daniel heard pots moving and water running from his kitchen and for a moment simply let out a sigh of relief as he let his head fall back into the soft mattress and closed his eyes once more feeling a dull pounding in the back of his head, something that he really didn't want to be dealing with when he could very easily tell that he had overslept and that therefore meant less time with Betty who had obviously woken up to clean their mess from the night before.

Daniel just stayed still for the moment as he let Betty's words seep into him for a moment, she loved him and he knew it, he'd always known it but now he was left facing the fact that she probably didn't remember saying it and had she been just a fraction more awake he never would have heard them. A part of Daniel was glad to know the truth, self justified even in having started what he had despite Betty's protests and constant pushing away but another part of him felt as though he was backed into a corner because she loved him, like her loved her but she wouldn't do anything about it because of his half brother and because she seemed downright convinced that if they ever were to be together Daniel would suddenly be the man he was, and a part of him did resent Betty for thinking so little of him _and_ her. Looking over at the alarm clock resting on his nightstand the clock read 1:38 PM because despite living on international time Daniel wanted to here five o'clock not fifteen twenty, call him a barbaric American but Daniel quite liked AM and PM. Begrudgingly Daniel stood from the bed, a part of him felt hungover and moody but another part of him just wanted to drag Betty back to bed and make time stop because they had both agreed her sleeping here tonight would be a bad idea and at this point Daniel was really regretting having agreed to that… and this entire ordeal really.

Maybe if he hadn't had this time with her his mind wouldn't feel ready to explode and he would have been able to steel his will into letting her go because he didn't want Betty to keep changing like she was, he was tired of blaming himself for being the one to break Betty and maybe if he wouldn't have heard that backing away from their clusterfuck of wrongs would have been even a fraction of a bit easier but now? Well now Daniel was going to fight tooth and nail, Daniel didn't want to play nice and patient anymore, everything short of literally having Tyler walk in on them, Daniel was going to do and he was going to win… He wasn't going to have it any other way.

Removing the sheets he was entangled in Daniel's bare feet touched the polished dark oak floors and were cool to the touch slowly waking the man up more as he stood and stretched out his body lithely, the sun hitting his pale, well toned chest and Daniel took the moment to relish the sun's ray over every expanse of his skin and the silk bottoms that rested low on his hips. Sleepily the man ran a hand through his hair as he finally headed into the living room and kitchen only to find that their mess from last night had managed to be wiped clean and something about that made a pang in Daniel's heart as he watched the way Betty scoured over the pots he'd been using to cook them dinner last night, utterly content to be doing so falling well into the role of doting girlfriend as she turned around with a smile bright enough to dim out the sun as she turned the water off to rush over to Daniel and wrap her arms around his waist, her chin resting on his chest as she looked up at him in a manner he hadn't seen before.

"I found the number for some pizza place called Lucianna's and ordered us some pizza because I don't think you cooking ever ends up with us eating-"

"-Not food at least." Daniel said with a devilish glint in his eye that would have had Betty blushing if she didn't agree with the man who brought his lips down to hers and Betty let herself get lost in the embrace, feeling his hands stroke through her hair before tilting her face up and cradling her face in his hands leaving the woman feeling utterly breathless when they broke apart. "Leave the dishes for later, I'll get them when…"

"When I'm gone?" The woman asked in a way that showed just how miserable she herself was at what today meant for both of them and he nodded sullenly before leading the woman out of the kitchen and into his living room.

"Let's not think about four hours from now, I'd rather think about some food, some wine, and being with you. We both knew what this was and until I can prove myself to be the man I want to be for you I know that this is only something I'll have to look forward to, I've spent my whole life whole getting it wrong but I want to be a good, strong man for you and until that day gets here I'll love you with all I have but that doesn't mean that I won't be fighting like hell." The conviction in Daniel's tone showed him in a different light Betty had never seen, she loved him she always had but she could never trust him because he rushed, he rushed into everything, even Molly why was he so patient with her? Why was he willing to let her set the backwards pace of an affair that should have never been? She wanted to resent Daniel for letting her choose because it was only more and more obvious she was choosing wrong because he _wasn't_ the same man from six years ago who's life consisted of drugs, sex, and booze, he was no longer angry and resentful at the world for all that went wrong and Betty felt her eyes welling up.

"Daniel what am I doing? I can't trust you, I can't commit to Tyler, I can't even be honest to myself. I love you Daniel… But-" And in that moment the knock on the door ended their moment of honesty and Daniel loved the I love you but then there was a 'but' and he didn't even know what it was that she was going to tell him because the constant knocking was driving him insane.

"I should get that." He finally managed to say somewhat dryly unwrapping himself from Betty and removing her arms from his person as he opened the door and found a young man probably no older than 16 shoving the large pizza into Daniel's face asking for 15 pounds and Daniel had him wait at the door while he walked back into his room to grab his wallet from the pants he'd left lying on the floor late last night and coming out to find that Betty had paid for the pizza and was already grabbing them wine glasses and paper plates for them, obviously doing her best not to let her emotions get the best of her as she tried to search for his wine opener, leaving Daniel dumbstruck as he left his wallet on the bar.

"I was going to pay for it you do realize."

"It was just 15 pounds Daniel it's not going to break me, where is your wine opener?" The woman asked somewhat frantically looking for anything to get away from the conversation they had both found themselves slowly treading into. The conversation that neither had wanted to have but Daniel was so tired of the games and the panic and the dirty feeling associated with having to be the 'other man' in Betty's life when he had always been the one and only when they had been best friends things should have transitioned a lot easier. Some of this was Tyler's fault and as much as Daniel would have preferred to pin it all on the man Daniel knew that deep down Tyler was only one domino in the entire scheme of things that they were _both_ responsible for.

"Betty just sit down I'll get it."

"I don't need you to do anything for me Daniel, I'm a big girl and I can do things by myself!" He could hear Betty's resolve crumbling as she went about slamming drawer after drawer looking for a wine opener that Daniel could very plainly spy right beside the stove.

"Betty…" Daniel called out to her again, his voice low and even but full of concern for her welfare and his very honestly he'd never seen her act so erratically because normally she was the one with the level head in any situation and he was the one off punching random billionaires and overturning furniture at the drop of a hat. He didn't blame the woman but he was starting to find it more and more difficult to give her much sympathy, he had long gotten over blaming himself for her misery and it seemed she was starting to see much of the same from him because she stopped to look up at him, the tears starting to spill from her cheeks, breaking his heart at seeing the pain and confusion in her eyes.

"Daniel I've never needed someone the way I need you, don't you see that I _can't_ lose you? If whatever this is never worked out past a month or two of being out in the open what would I do with myself? You're my best friend but I don't think I can handle nightly segments on fashion TV with Suzuki blasting tornado girl all over the the Meade building, I had a thick enough skin to do it for myself but to _know_ that I'm obviously just not good enough for someone like you? I… I can't take that kind of heartbreak." Betty's voice cracked as she let herself finally break and cry but the second she saw Daniel move, the woman couldn't stop herself from blocking the man and walking back, drying her tears and continued pouring out her heart. "I'm just a girl from Queens that had adult braces and didn't know the meaning of color palettes until the age of 24, you're a playboy who I watched after like a child at first and you grew into your own man and you have _no_ idea the phenomenal man that you are Daniel, we have both worked our asses off Daniel to have to be scrutinized by the media and I love you but I love myself enough not to let myself become overshadowed by your family's name. Tyler is simple and he loves me and he knew and accepted me before the braces and I know you did too Daniel but honestly can you blame me for not thinking that your sudden love came a little too soon after I realized that Dolce and Gabbana were designers and not Ben & Jerry's knock off sister brand?" Daniel was honestly at a loss for words he didn't know whether to try and comfort her (because that had just gone over swimmingly earlier), get into yet another argument with her or really just let her go as much as his heart refused to. Daniel watched as Betty calmed down enough to find the wine opener and grabbed a chilled bottle from the fridge only to find that the bottle she'd grabbed had already been opened and had a wine stopper making Betty feel like an even bigger fool as she did her best to not break again as she slammed the bottle down on the table and tried to storm past Daniel who even in his silence, swiftly stopped her with one hand grabbing around her waist and pressing her tightly against him despite her struggle and blatant refusal to look up at him. For a moment he didn't say anything, didn't fight her and didn't even make her look up at him, he just looked down at her struggling against his firm grip weakly, her body trembling from the force she was putting up not to cry in front of him anymore and for the first time in a long time it felt like he was looking at the real Betty again, the one that he had fallen in love.

"The moment you stepped into my life in a hideous red poncho with your obnoxiously cheery attitude and million watt smile and horribly frizzy damaged hair I knew you were going to change me how I have no idea but I knew, I honestly thought that it would be getting a few laughs out of you that I could look back on in rehab with the other bunches of fuckups I'd be rooming with for three months at a time but you don't seem to understand that you were what got me up every morning, the thought of letting you down, of feeling your wrath, of missing out on what eyesore you were going to wear Betty. Then I let you down more times than I really care to admit and I know I broke your heart here and there and I took advantage of you but you forgave me every time and you were always there for me and I never knew why but I knew that if I ever lost you… I'd be lost myself and Betty that kind of love isn't something that comes over night, that kind of love I chose to ignore for close to four years because first I didn't want to believe then I didn't want to be let down and now I know I'm still not the type of man you deserve but I would do _everything_ in my power to make sure that I could one day be the type of man you'd be proud to love." Betty didn't know what to say, she felt as stupid as she was sure she looked, she didn't want to think she was one of the people that had judged Daniel wrongly but he didn't say another word, merely let loose his grip on her, didn't kiss her and didn't even take the chance to look at her because he had just bared his soul out to the woman and to see an ounce of disbelief in her eyes would make the man do something he was certain he'd regret later. "I'll get the food, why don't you find something for us to watch." He said somewhat blankly leaving Betty dumbfound as she nodded somewhat unsure and felt Daniel brush by her as he walked to the wine bottle and glasses she'd left abandoned at the table.

Betty didn't say a word and as much as she wanted to, she didn't apologize or even go up to give him a kiss and let him know that just because she was deathly afraid it didn't mean it made her love him any less. Betty did nothing though, she knew that she had said some pretty harsh things and made the man feel even lower than he apparently already did without any of her help, she'd spent so much time worrying about her image or the image that them being together would portray to the public that she never thought to think about the fact that maybe Daniel was fighting with himself to be good enough for _her_ because really in what world was Daniel Meade not going to be good enough for Betty Suarez? He was a millionaire with a damn good heart and good looks to boot and while he may not have been the sharpest crayon in the box when it came to judgment or common sense, Daniel _was_ a smart man. Betty wasn't saying that Taylor was a lesser man or that she deserved a lesser man but they were a different class and pedigree and as much as they got along now Betty was far too much of a realist to ever think that Daniel would stay satisfied with Betty once he had her simply because love conquered all…

The rest of their day was spent in silence, a tense silence where time only seemed to pass by faster and faster each time they looked at the clock, _Rebel Without A Cause_ was playing on the television in front of them butch much like the wine and pizza it was all very much muted to the thoughts in their minds. Betty rested against Daniel and his arm was around the woman's tightly but the distance felt so wide that the ache in Betty's chest felt far more real then she cared to admit. The sun was beginning to set and still nothing had been said, their last day had been ruined by a mental breakdown, confessions, and the sudden loss of words to speak. Betty wanted to fall into Daniel's arms and make love to the man just one more time in their fantasy world, in his apartment that was a safe zone away from the peering eyes of everyone around but it wasn't going to happen, not when their thoughts were elsewhere and the frown of deep pensiveness hadn't left Daniel's face since he'd given her, her glass of wine and plate of pizza, which she had only managed to eat a slice or two of pepperoni before realizing that food was really the last thing on her mind. She drank her wine simply to have something to do, to numb her thoughts and feelings of knowing that her bag was packed and soon enough she'd have to get out of Daniel's clothes and back into her own… something that sounded like the perfect excuse for a moment to herself.

"Where are you going?" Daniel asked suddenly shaken from his thoughts, the fear in his eyes as amusing as it was heartbreaking when Betty handed him her wine glass, lifting her hand up to gently graze the man's cheek, her palm resting underneath his jaw for a moment and she tired to ignore the fact that she could feel him clenching his teeth as though he was trying to fight with himself not to tense up.

"I need to change Daniel, I don't want Tyler asking why I'm wearing your Harvard shirt come tomorrow." The woman tried to joke but it fell harder then lead to both of them and though he tried to smile for her the man's eyes simply gazed downward but he lifted his hand to covers hers, bringing her palm to his lips and pressed a small kiss to it.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled against her hand and the woman pulled it away only to draw his attention back to her.

"You have _nothing_ to be sorry about, I'm going to get changed and we're going to do what we both knew was going to come, but please Daniel just remember that I love you and that I'm trying my best as much as it doesn't look that way I really am." The woman said with a conviction that Daniel wanted to believe but this entire game was wearing so thin on him that he could only nod to the woman before turning his gaze to the television only to find that the James Dean classic had long ago ended and instead there was now a French black and white film playing, and a woman was beating the living crap out of a man. It was enough to elicit a laugh from Daniel and distract him from the woman who had walked back into his bedroom to change from his Betty Suarez to Betty Suarez, adulteress. He hated the way he was acting but Betty had only confirmed his biggest fear, that _he_ wasn't good enough and that regardless of anything he did or said his past would come back to haunt him and if she was throwing past indiscretions at his face so soon, Daniel could only imagine what would happen if the woman were to ever see him and Natalia having dinner because apparently Daniel wasn't a man that handled friendship with the opposite sex so well…

In the bedroom Betty was busy zipping up her high waist pencil skirt, the red square neckline top flowed freely and Betty took a moment before slipping on her Jimmy Choo pumps to take in the room she'd been hiding away in. The bed was unmade and the sheets were half off the bed which made Betty shake her head but smile, Daniel had always been a slob when he woke up and it was almost a comfort to see that, that part of him hadn't changed. His Harvard shirt was still in her hands and she lifted it up to her nose for a moment, his cologne still clung to the shirt like a comfort, like her torture and Betty couldn't help but ask herself what the hell she was doing with Tyler when being with Daniel had been the only thing on her mind for months now. Daniel's words had cut her deeply because she could see that she had hurt him because of all the people to doubt him it was her doubt that felt like a blow to the chest. The more this went on and the longer it took her to make a decision Betty had come to the realization that the one that didn't deserve anyone here was Betty. Daniel wanted to fight and only held back because he wanted to make sure she wasn't the one hurt in any of this and Tyler just wanted to love her because… She wasn't even sure why, but Tyler loved her and Betty honestly did love him, two years together of spending time with his mother for mother's day or Christmas in Paris with Alexis and DJ, they had been playing house for so long that Betty didn't know if it was fear of being tied down that sent her running to Daniel or fear of losing Daniel that kept her clinging to Tyler and she felt her eyes well up once again at the thought of heading straight back to square one because the past four days hadn't existed and the past four days had all been a farce she'd been stupid enough to think wouldn't affect her.

"This wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind for today." She heard a deep voice call from the doorway of the bedroom and she turned quickly to find Daniel leaning against the doorway, arms wrapped across his chest as though he'd been watching her the entire time and for all she knew he very well could have because Betty hadn't exactly been too mindful these past couple hours. Laughing somewhat Betty looked down at the shirt in her hands as she ran a hand through her chestnut colored hair, the silky strands easily being rustled before falling carelessly into place as she took a seat on the bed, her back turning to Daniel's as she felt her shoulders sag a little but still the woman let out a deep breath and asked.

"Oh really and what did you have in mind?" Doing her best to get the emotion out of her voice though the faintest of quivers could still be heard and Betty could have kicked herself. Swiftly though, Daniel was at her knees, his hands grasping hers, putting his shirt aside for a moment as she looked up at him, his deep blue eyes held no hurt, not a trace of sadness and Betty couldn't find herself understanding _why._

"See _I_ was supposed to have woke up early and made you breakfast in bed, I had personally fiddled around with the idea of a can of whipped cream and some chocolate sauce that had you behaved I would have let you use on me." And despite the fact that none of that had happened Betty found herself laughing as she urged him to continue. "You see then I was going to suggest we repeat last night's shower again, only maybe a little less rough seeing as I don't want you to bruise at the moment, then we were supposed to sleep and when it was reaching this time I was going to take you home where if you would have been a good girl I would have made sure that there were no boogeymen in the closet." To which Betty couldn't help but to let out a deep laugh that really felt much over due, losing the look in Daniel's eyes as he reminded himself of a certain heiress who had once shot down his offer of boogeymen checking. The kiss on his lips surprised Daniel but he took the kiss gladly and deepened it, his hands slowly working their way up to Betty's face keeping her there but pushing her softly back onto bed, his body hovering over hers as his lips traveled down her lips and to her neck, mumbling against the skin.

"If you'd like to we can always skip the shower." And Betty's only response to the man was a strangled moan as one hand worked its way up her skirt and the other lifted up her shirt and pulled down her bra leaving her completely and utterly exposed to him and though she really knew that sex was the last thing that either of them should be partaking in after their day today but when Daniel's fingers had found their way past her panties and were casually pumping in and out of her Betty's logic was sent straight to hell because when a man could make you come just by breathing in your ear, logic was invalid.

"Daniel." Was the only thing Betty could repeat breathlessly, not exactly sure what it was she needed from the man, but damn she needed it fast and her rocking hips and hands fisted into the bed sheets all seemed to prove as much. Smirking against her skin Daniel couldn't help but to run his teeth against her collar making the woman arch into Daniel, her chest pressing into Daniel's and driving the man insane as he tried to figure out what it was about everything she did that could turn him on even more than the last time they'd found themselves in a sticky situation.

"I want you to think about me tonight Betty, and I want you to remember this, I want you to cry my name like you do when no one else can hear, do you think you can do that for me?" Daniel teased the woman, drawing his fingers out of her slick heat, his fingers grazing over the tense bundle of nerves and Betty couldn't keep from crying out again and nodding obediently to the man. "Tell me what you want me to do Betty." The man purred against her ears making the woman practically scream in frustration.

"Daniel I need you to take me, make me yours Daniel, God Daniel I just want you to-Oh God!" The woman couldn't talk much more after she found Daniel had pushed into her while she wasn't paying attention and he turned her back into his chest while one hand wrapped around her stomach and the other her waist. There was something as intimate as there was dirty about being pressed into Daniel like this and the closer he got to climaxing Betty could feel his grip around her neck tighten and it thrilled the woman who pulled the bed sheets out of the mattress and pulled onto Daniel's hair, her cries coming in breathless and sudden whenever Daniel thrust himself particularly rough into you.

"You love this don't you?" The man grunted against her ear, the hand on her stomach sliding up to her breasts his palm coarsely massaging her making the woman cry out and nod her head, words betraying her at the moment as she felt herself being wound tight ready to snap as she found herself suddenly pinned beneath Daniel who had a hard look of concentration on his face, and just the look in his eyes had Betty digging her nails deeply into the man's arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, wanting to feel him closer, _needing_ him closer than they already were she just wanted to live in this moment until the end of time because the only time things made sense were when he had her legs up in the air, and somehow Betty was perfectly all right with that…

The moon was already high in the sky by the time Daniel had taken Betty back home, her overnight bag's contents hastily discarded into a laundry bin and her overcoat thrown on the couch. The apartment was much smaller than Daniel's not cramped by any means, but certainly smaller and yet somehow it all felt so cold to Betty. She wanted to run back to Daniel's apartment and hide under the covers that they had just made love in, wanted to reheat the pizza they never got the chance to eat and drink wine watching old black and white movies until the sun came up. Instead she was pacing around her living room, around Daniel wanting to say something, wanting to tell him that she was going to end things with Tyler sooner than he thought but that would be a lie.

Betty wanted Daniel to stay with her but something about being together in _this_ house felt like a perversion Betty wasn't willing to stoop to. For his part Daniel could only really laugh at Betty's nervousness, he hadn't seen her due that pacing since her days in MODE trying to find out of something or other someone had managed to screw up. It was oddly endearing but he needed to let her know that everything that they had said and done was over and done with and it had needed to come out because it would have done so anyway sooner or later. Catching Betty around the waist once again, he was amused to find the woman shocked to have been caught off guard and she looked up at him, the look in her eyes silently warning him not to start any funny business in this house.

"Would you stop? You're going to burn a hole into the floor." The man teased and found Betty smiling despite herself as she playfully swatted the back of her hand at his chest.

"I just didn't think I would be so scared about him coming home, Daniel we've been doing this for a year now I've never felt guilty so why now?"

"Maybe it's about that time you make a choice Betty." Daniel said somewhat somberly because he'd made his choice long ago and now all that was left was for Betty to take the plunge with Daniel, or let Daniel go and let him fall alone, something he prayed wouldn't happen but if it did… well he'd been bracing himself for that for over a year now so there was going to have to be a way to get over that right? Probably not but Daniel liked to think that psyching himself out would do some sort of help to his sanity if that day ever came.

"I know… that doesn't mean that letting him down is going-"

"Wait what?" Daniel asked flabbergasted, his eyes locking on Betty's begging her not to be toying with him but all he could see from her was amusement at his shock and nothing but honesty. "Betty please-"

"Daniel… you promised me pancakes and got maple syrup and basil in my hair, you're stuck with me." The woman said with a bright grin, her arms wrapping tightly around Daniel's neck as he hugged her tightly afraid that this was all a dream or a massive joke on him and that he would turn around and Tyler would be waiting to squirt him in the face with a flower gun and tell him to dream on.

"You're serious?"

"Everything I told you I meant I don't know how I'll deal with the media… but I've done more for you without the perks, I'll learn to deal." The woman said matter of factly, loving the smile on Daniel's face, finding it rivaled her own very easily but before she could let him whisk her away the woman suddenly became very serious and told the man.

"I can't promise you that I'll do it tomorrow or even next week Daniel, I need to talk to Tyler and we need to end on good terms and letting him know about us it will just… Daniel you need to understand I love Tyler."

"I understand that Betty I couldn't expect you to be with Tyler if you didn't love him."

"I should hope so, Betty what the hell are you doin' with him? Better question. What the hell is _he_ doin' _here?_" Suddenly both their stomachs dropped as they turned to find Tyler standing at their doorway, a suitcase in his hands as he watched his brother holding onto _his_ girlfriend tightly, as though he had any right. "I know you two are friends, but we talked about this."

"Betty…" Daniel looked over to Betty, he was concerned for her but there was also a silent ultimatum in his eyes, _begging_ her to be upfront with Tyler now that there was an opportunity but he saw the fear in Betty's eyes and the soft head shake she gave him almost knocked the wind out of Daniel who suddenly felt very dizzy when the woman stepped away from him as though he were on fire and took a few steps towards his brother.

"Tyler I think me and you need to talk, and I think Daniel needs to go so we can discuss this like adults." And suddenly Daniel was her child again? He was someone that couldn't have a mature conversation and it was as though everything they had just said and the four days were all suddenly tainted by his brother's presence as the southern man looked up at Daniel.

"My warmest regards for making sure _my_ girlfriend was taken care of but if you wouldn't mind I'm home now and _I _would like some time to be welcomed back, why don't you go write an article brother dear." Tyler spoke to his brother coldly, his eyes shining with an emotion Daniel was sure he mirrored because all the man wanted to do was knock some proper grammar into the man's vocabulary but there wasn't much a chance for Daniel to get a word in edgewise before he felt Betty's hand on his shoulder urging him towards the door.

"Daniel… I need time with Tyler now… I'm sorry." The woman said as she led him out the door and he turned around just in time to catch the woman mouth him a small apology and closing the door in his face, the clicking sound of the deadbolt like ice through his soul as he stood in front of their apartment for a moment, their voices muffled by the walls but he could tell that whatever the hell was going on back there was going to affect him in the end and Daniel was only helpless to it all as he shook his head trying to break himself from the daze, trying not to get his hopes up, and suddenly feeling the urge for a very strong drink…


	7. The Mistakes That Went On For Too Long

**Author's Note: **I have no words to express how sorry I am! It's just been a crazy time, I got busy, then I got sick, now it's hot and as much as I love this chapter I can't help but feel it also is SUPER crappy. BUT! Things are going to juice up, hopefully in the next chapter which I hope to have out SOOOO much sooner, I really don't know what else to say other then I'm sorry and I hope my readers are still with me D: You guys complete me and though I don't deserve them, reviews are my crack, support the habit pleease. I Less Than Three you guys! _  
_

hugs and kisses,

ex's and oh's

Love,

Tally

**Song:** Did It Again - Shakira

* * *

_Betty: I'm Sorry._

_12:35AM, Sept 15_

_Daniel: For what? _

_12:40AM, Sept 15_

_Betty: I'm so sorry, I can't…_

_12:42AM, Sept 15_

Betty shut her phone off after that and even contemplated erasing Daniel's number from her phone entirely but she couldn't even bring herself to do that and instead kept the door to her bathroom shut as she started a hot shower, needing something to calm her nerves but mostly wanting something to keep Tyler from hearing her cry. What was she doing? Why the hell was she still with this man? Why had she chosen him over Daniel? Was her fear really so giant that stepping away from a man she no longer wanted a future seemed harder than being with the one that you wanted, and more importantly wanted to be with _you?_ Betty wanted to be angry at Tyler for even bringing up the ultimatum but as she slowly started peeling off her skirt, shoes, and shirt going through the motions of getting into the shower, that is until she dropped herself onto the ceramic tile flooring, letting the water sting her skin harshly trying to find it in herself to keep quiet but her heart seemed to send her straight to hell as she brought her knees up to her chest and just sat there in the shower replaying the last few hours in her head.

_'I'm Sorry.' Betty mouthed to Daniel, the look of deception in his eyes broke her heart but regardless she closed the door, turning the deadbolt and locking the door, resting her head for a moment against the heavy oak door trying to catch her breath, trying to figure out how the hell she was going to do this… Daniel would be waiting for her… She knew he would. Taking a deep breath, steadying her nerves and bracing herself for the worst, Betty turned to find Tyler watching her curiously, almost as though he was willing to just throw in the towel which wasn't what Betty was prepared for and suddenly the guilt of this past year crept up on her with a gale force strength._

_"Ty-"_

_"This isn't going to be any different is it?" For a moment Tyler's comment threw Betty off, what was he talking about? What wouldn't be any different? Then his near bitter laugh and the way he threw himself down on the couch, his face in his hands as though he were losing his sanity it all hit Betty immediately. Those months ago when she had promised him (as half heartedly as it had been) that she wouldn't let Daniel interfere with them, he had begged with her not to let Daniel be the end all be all of __**their**__ relationship when all along that is what had been happening since the day Daniel came from New York. Since before the affair, since before their confessions and suddenly Betty couldn't help but to start crying._

_"This isn't what I wanted for us." She finally admitted to the man, staying put in her spot not daring to move closer to Tyler or even away from him because she had spent so much time running that now, it would have just been ridiculous to do such a thing._

_"What did you want?" The man asked, his voice hoarse as though he were fighting to keep his emotions in line and Betty couldn't help but to feel her own emotions to boil over as she let out a strangled sob dropping her face into her hands as though doing that would make her invisible to the man in front of her. For a long moment neither said anything, Tyler let Betty cry as he did his best to reign in his emotions and Betty did her best to find some sort of self control knowing that all of this had been her doing and that honestly she had no right to keep doing these things._

_"I just wanted everyone to be happy." The girl whimpered pathetically, everything about her feeling entirely too broken as she leaned against the dining room table, her legs threatening to give out under the weight of her emotions. _

_"I'm happiest… With you." The man managed to choke out, his tear clogged voice breaking Betty's heart when she realized that of all the hearts in this twisted game, Tyler's had been the least deserving to get dragged along. He'd loved Betty from the get go, he had supported her when Daniel had disappeared from her life. Tyler was the man that had made her smile and sent bouquets of flowers to her office when he knew she'd be having a hard day. What had Betty done? Betty __**loved**__ Daniel but Tyler loved Betty and he deserved to have all of her, something that she had never given him and something he had always known, Betty knew it and it made her feel even worse. _

_"Ty-"_

_"Please Betty, don't sugarcoat this, do you, no wait, __**did**__ you ever love me?" Betty couldn't believe what it was that Tyler was asking her and that knife in her heart turned a little deeper._

_"How could you ev-"_

_"Don't fuck around with me Betty! Look me in the eye and tell me if I wasted these past three years! I'm not a man that gives his heart very easily but you didn't even have to try to tear down my walls you were just there, everything about me is better with you Betty but I can't help but wonder if being with me was just so you could feel closer to.." The man stopped, he looked as though he wanted to vomit just at the thought and Betty wanted all of this to have gone differently. Fighting with an angry Tyler, giving her the final ultimatum, fighting with a Tyler that insulted Daniel or even __**accused**__ Betty of being with him, it all would have been so much easier to cope with instead of watching a defeated Tyler, insecure and deceived Tyler. Betty had broken not one man, but two of the men she loved and it made her numb, it made her sick, it made her question her own moral fiber. Her face crimped in pain just watching the look on Tyler's face as she realized what it was she had been ruining for so long._

_"Tyler I never would have been with you if I had never loved you, I love __**you**__ and the way you find the most inane objects in some flea market wherever you're at, and you think of me. I love that regardless of where you are or who you're with you show off that picture from our first Christmas together like it's some sort of trophy. I love Daniel though Tyler you can't erase that." _

_"Do you love him enough to lose me?" Tyler finally asked and Betty felt the wind knocked out of her and a pain in her chest begin to grow as everything in her stopped for a moment, she wanted to get a good breath in but it just wasn't happening._

_"What are you saying?" The woman couldn't help but to begin to cry, she couldn't lose Tyler she loved Tyler, but her heart __**needed**__ Daniel and her mind didn't know what to do anymore, logically speaking Betty should have left Tyler long ago, better yet the woman should have __**never**__ started a damn thing with Daniel but everything had been done and it was too late to take anything back._

_"Don't play dumb Betty, you're too smart for it, I love you and I promised I wouldn't do this but I can't handle this I can' keep thinking in the back of my mind if one day Daniel is going to get to you, if one day I'm going to come home to finding you gone leaving me a note saying you deserve better then some redneck from Nebraska, Betty I refuse to keep playing this game any longer I can't take it no more… If you choose Daniel I understand, but I won't be a part of this game any longer." For a long while Betty didn't say anything, the tears just rolled down her face as she tried to fight with herself to find the words to tell him that it had never been Daniel to tell her that Tyler wasn't for her, her heart had made that decision three years ago in New York when Daniel signed her papers. Betty had somehow always known she'd never wanted to believe it until it was right there in her face but even then she knew, losing Daniel had been a catalyst in her life… But she'd moved on and Tyler had been there for her when Daniel had fought with his own emotions. Betty wanted to trust Daniel but everything in them had started so wrong everything about them had been broken she really wanted to take a leap for Daniel but… "I guess I have my answer."_

_"Tyler, please no!" Betty quickly cut off Tyler from the door only to find the man shaking his head refusing to believe._

_"Betty… I won't play these games, I won't get sucked into this any deeper and I refuse to have Daniel hanging around here anymore." _

_"I understand… Please don't go." The words left Betty's mouth a lot easier then she thought they would have but suddenly Betty felt herself become numb to everything going on. Tyler deserved to have all of her if that was what he wanted then that was what she was going to give him. Tyler didn't seem to be too convinced by the woman in front of him though and merely shook his head._

_"Don't do this in pity Betty."_

_"Tyler, I love you, and I'm sorry, and from here on out, I'm going to give you everything that I haven't… Just don't leave me." The woman pleaded softly, her eyes looking up at Tyler's tired ones and for the first time saw him look genuinely disappointed in her and it was as though that metaphorical blade was just digging in deeper and deeper. _

_"I think we both have a lot of thinking and talking to do Betty… but for now I'm going to go to sleep and tomorrow, we can sort this out…" And that was all he said before disappearing into their bedroom, leaving Betty in the living room, sliding down against front door her mind trying to figure out what the hell she'd just done…_

That had been hours ago, Tyler had since fallen asleep and Betty had finally managed to drag herself back into reality, not that there was anything worth while for her there but sitting under cold running water wasn't going to give the woman much of anything else was it? She had since cried herself dry, her eyes burning and red from the past hours of sobbing and sullen crying, she had resolved to cut off all ties with Daniel because their games had interfered in something that she had never been able to give a full chance and she needed to do this and not just for Tyler but for herself as well, Daniel would _always_ have the allure of having been her gorgeous playboy boss and her haywire _need_ to fix everything that was broken, but in wanting to fix Daniel or going ahead and tearing him apart, the woman had let go of a relationship three years in the making with the most stable man she'd ever known.

Tyler had battled his addictions and aside from that Wilhelmina induced breakdown before she moved to London he'd done a damn well job of taking care of himself without Betty and he wasn't asking her to fix him he was just asking her to love him and by God that is what she was going to finally do! Her heart would simply have to learn the difference between loving Tyler and loving sex with Daniel, because that was all that their relationship had summed up to, five years of a great friendship and one of undeniably mind blowing sex and as fun as that year had been, Betty needed to know that when the thrill of the hunt wasn't there he would still be there something that the years of bailing him out of one night stands just didn't help prove. Of course he had the women in his life that had had screwed him over but sometimes that was just karma taking a nibble at your ego… Much like it was doing to her right now.

Turning off the sauna water turned ice, Betty stepped out of the shower her cell phone in its same spot… No new messages. Betty had to take a deep breath to keep from crying again, to keep from letting her heart break just because he hadn't fought, it was best that way really and it showed her just how much it was that she meant to Daniel because she knew that right this moment he was still awake, drink in hand and a woman by his side, she knew Daniel well enough to know that just because he hadn't gotten his way he'd be doing his best to show her that she hadn't gotten to him and though it hurt her Betty knew that a man like that wasn't a man she needed in her life. Wrapping a towel around her body and another over her hair, Betty grabbed her cell phone and headed out of the bathroom in search of eye drops and warm clothes.

In the glow of the bathroom light Betty quietly reached into her dresser drawer pulling out a nightgown and some underwear, slipping them on underneath the towel feeling unreasonably shy after all had been said and done. After the nightgown had replaced the towel that was now crumpled at her feet Betty sat down on the bed gingerly, eye drops in hand as she let out another deep sigh just trying to get the best of her emotions feeling too tired to even lift her hand and feeling another onslaught of tears threatening to spill over, until she felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her back underneath the other person sleeping in the bed, pulling off the towel her hair was wrapped in Betty said nothing as she watched Tyler watching her, examining her face, pained to see the pain reflected in her eyes and the tears softly spilled over when she saw the guilt in his face. Tyler said nothing though, wiped her tears away silently and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled against her lips and Betty shook her head in disbelief of what he had just said.

"Please, don't be, this is _all_ my fault I should have focused on you and on what we have, not on Daniel and what we were…" Betty said softly making Tyler laugh almost sadly.

"I guess we both have just been going through the motions for a while now… Call in tomorrow." And those words, the words that had ghosted hers from just one day ago, made the woman tear up but she nodded her head.

"Anything for you"

"Come away with me then." The man said, his eyes full of hope, full of fear and it made the woman want to just give him everything he asked for.

"What about my job?"

"Just for a week Betty, take a break, you spend so much time hunched over a desk you're letting life pass you by, and I can't have that anymore." And though it was true she had spent a lot of time in her desk, most of the time she was bent over the desk and then the guilt came rolling back and Betty realized that some time away from her desk, away from London, and away from Daniel, maybe that was all that she needed to move on.

"Yes… Let's go, let's do it." Betty said and though she had wanted the words to sound a little more eager, they sounded tired at best but Tyler looked to be so happy he got her to just say yes he didn't even care how it was she had agreed to the terms. "Where are we going?" She asked when he had her tucked away safely in his side.

"You'll just have to wait and see." The man said with a smile that almost made everything worth it… almost, but not quite.

"Who do I have to fuck around here for another drink?!" Slurred a man, bracing himself from the bar for support. It had been a week since Betty's vague, break up text message and a week since he'd gone to her office to sort things out only to find that she'd taken a week long vacation with Tyler to whatever undisclosed location to elope, or to live in bliss, or to make his life a living hell. They all sounded so damn similar that Daniel hadn't really bothered to hear out Betty's assistant, a boy that had reminded him of Justin and no doubt was the reason (or one of many) that Betty had hired him. Daniel had been stunned stupid at Betty's text message at midnight nearly a week ago, he hadn't wanted to believe it at first, he had wanted to talk some real sense into the woman but it had been all too obvious that everything had been nothing but words to the woman who had not sent him one message or bothered to call in those seven days.

It was the longest they had gone without speaking since he'd gotten to London and it didn't hurt like he thought it would have, in fact Daniel had forgone pain and gone straight to anger, white hot, blinding rage and not at Tyler but at Betty for doing this to him. Would it have been so hard to slap him after their first encounter? To call him a spineless creep and tell her _then_ that in comparison to his brother, another mindless pile of clay that Betty could form to her liking, Daniel was nothing? It was a year of his heart _fully_ invested into a lie that Betty constantly let him believe and the man had no one to blame for it besides himself. He should have known that getting into something with Betty would have been just too damn good for him, since when did Daniel get what he wanted? He didn't want to sound as pitiful as he was sure his moping made him look but for once Daniel had been convinced that the _one_ thing that had always been his would continue to be that way but of course his bodunk brother from some no name town would beat him out.

A part of him wanted to fight for Betty, tooth and nail until he had her again but the rest of him reasoned that it's exactly what he had been doing now for months on end with nothing but weekly office visits to look forward to. He'd felt so distant from Betty for so long now that he knew her heart was no where in either relationship she was holding. He did blame himself for getting so involved for throwing caution to the wind and starting such a tryst to begin with, Daniel knew that to an extent he was paying his consequences and reaping that which he had sewn and that he had to live with the fact that he had changed Betty from the sweet, outgoing girl from Queens with a heart of gold that wanted to change the world to a woman tempted, a woman who lived to please herself and quite frankly a woman no different than the others in his life who had only used him.

"Barkeep!" The man yelled again, slamming his glass against the dark oak so violently even he was surprised that it hadn't shattered under his grip.

"That'll be it for him, put it all on my tab." A familiarly sweet feminine voice called out behind him and Daniel turned sharply to find Natalia once again dressed to kill in a white strapless mini bubble dress leaving her mile long legs bare for the world to gawk at, she was wearing tan stiletto boots and a wide belt, everything about her made Daniel want to forget Betty, he wanted to bury himself in Natalia until she made him forget the name Betty Suarez and she had hinted enough at it so what was wrong with taking her up on an offer that he should have seen through months ago.

"Now you have a tab?" The man managed to slur out smoothly enough to sound cohesive and flirty, then again he had, had enough experience with that in his early twenties, Natalia merely rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Yeah well when Lucas is in town I like to have a little fun, can you blame a girl? Now come on we need to get you in bed you're starting to look like page six right now." Natalia said, doing her best to pick him up but finding it rather difficult since the tall inebriated man was really about twice as heavy as any regular day right now, or at least he felt that damn way. Daniel didn't notice Natalia calling anyone over because he found himself suddenly very interested in her exposed shoulders and with all the skill and agility of a _sober_ playboy Daniel pulled Natalia into his lap, his arm wrapping around her waist as he took in her scent for a moment, getting lost in it and finding it even more intoxicating then his countless number of scotch's before she'd come back into his life.

"Who's bed mine or yours?" The man spoke hotly against her ear and had it not been for the stench of liquor all over him, Natalia might have found herself falling for him, instead the woman gently tried unwrapping herself from him.

"You need sleep Daniel and if you remember any of this in the morning, talk to me then, for now though we need to leave before the group of guys over there tries to maul you alive for hitting on me, they've been trying to buy me drinks all night and here you are forgoing all of that, what kind of girl do you take me for? And what kind of man are you to just think you can have your way with me?" The woman tried to joke with her friend as she noticed the way he tightened his grip every time he felt her trying to wriggle free.

"The better man" He had wanted the words to sound playful, the way she was trying to be but they sounded nothing other than completely bitter and Natalia had noticed but before she could say a word about it he felt a hand on his shoulder and Natalia lifting her hand to the one offered her. Feeling slightly confrontational Daniel turned to tell the nuisance to bug off but was surprised to find Lucas once again there, an uneasy smile on his face as if he sensed Daniel's displeasure at Natalia's being taken away from him.

"Hey there Daniel, how's it going."

"Well if you let me keep Natalia, pretty damn well." The man once again tried to joke but only came across sounding angry, something that concerned Natalia greatly because in all the times that they had known one another she had never known Daniel to be so aggressive about… anything really.

"Come on Daniel, we were going to go get some food, Lucas is bringing Marco Casas with and you seem to be such a soccer fan…" Natalia tried to gently bribe the man sitting on the bar, his back to the bar (thankfully) but he looked no more convinced about leaving with them then he had when he had Natalia on his lap.

"So which one of them are you with?" The man asked bitterly and Natalia had to bite back her default habit of coming back with a snarky comment about them taking turns because that wasn't the type of girl she wanted to be anymore and this was her friend and her friend was drunk stupid so this one time she'd let it slide.

"…They're… together." The woman said and though she wanted to be calm everything in her demeanor was telling her long time friend that she was close to shoving the rest of his expensive liquor and the bottle it rested in down his throat and Lucas also knew that while Daniel maybe could have deserved it, Natalia didn't like making big splashes when she was out with friends. Still there was an edge there that wasn't going away very easily so as Lucas called over his boyfriend and Natalia turned swiftly, removing herself from the situation and the unusually over crowded club to call a cab, the heiress didn't have to turn around to see Daniel putting up a drunken struggle against the all star athletes who overpowered him best to their ability and dragged the man out of the club in a scene that felt reminiscent to 10 years earlier.

The cold October air was a slap to the face and Daniel immediately stiffened at the crisp intrusion of his angry and near belligerent self pity. In front of him Daniel was able to make out the slender form of a young heiress hailing a cab like only she knew and Daniel could tell that by the look on her face she was none too pleased with him. He wanted to feel some sort of guilt but really all he felt was angry, drunk, and maybe a little turned on, but the sight of an infuriated woman was always one of Daniel's favorite sights to behold and not very many women could pull off the pout that Natalia Macias had going on. Shaking the grip the two star players had on him, Daniel straightened his black leather jacket, straightening his shirt out before heading straight towards Natalia moving with surprising agility for a man as inebriated as he was and before either Lucas or Marco could grab him again. Daniel pressed his lips against Natalia's cheek and the woman could practically get drunk off his stench.

"Daniel, get in the cab, you need to go home." The woman said sternly, turning her face, silently asking for salvation something that didn't get past Daniel but the man merely tightened his grip on Natalia's fractionally.

"Don't you want me to chase the boogeymen?"

"It's not the boogeymen I'm worried about tonight, come on let's get in the cab, Superstar, can you and Marco follow in another cab, I don't think the four of us will fit." The woman said to Lucas as she did her best to detach the dead weight surrounding her and shoving Daniel into the cab, not too concerned with the rough fall he'd seem to have taken. "I just need you guys to get him up to his place, there's no way he's making it on his own and I am really thinking about leaving him in Hyde Park right now, you have no clue." The woman said, she'd never had any problems with some drunken flirting but Daniel was being possessive, rude, and strangely jealous.

"So he won't be joining the sleepover?" Lucas teased his friend, amused by the silent death threat she was sending him. "Oh lighten up Natalia, remember when Jacks-"

"Let's not bring up old memories." Natalia said quickly and Lucas couldn't help but to notice the flash of pain in her eyes quickly masked as she was distracted by the fact that Daniel's hands had seemed to be trying to take a tour of her mile long legs and her having to bat his hands away from veering to far in the wrong direction.

"I'm just saying, sometimes we're all entitled to a night of binge drinking after a rough time, you said he hadn't been talking to you for a week or two, maybe what he needs is a friend… and a _friend." _The man said with a laugh making Natalia laugh despite her self as she punched her longtime friend.

"I'm going to hurt you Superstar." The woman threatened playfully before asking him once more to follow them and letting her friend depart after a customary peck between the two, a habit she had pushed the man into but something they had since fallen into custom with and had become a sort of comfort for both of them, though more for Natalia really then for Lucas, who got into the second cab where Marco was already waiting and Natalia finally settled into the cab, prying Daniel's hands off of her body.

"Daniel you are _drunk_, I need you to be sober and we need to talk in the morning do you understand? For now we're getting you home." The woman said sternly, very much finished with his games and his drunken groping. The word home though, it made the man tense notably making Natalia cock her head to the side, cocking an eyebrow up in confusion as she saw the look of determination of getting laid, into one of anger and refusal.

"I'm not going home, stop the cab." The man said and the driver began to slow until Natalia ordered him otherwise.

"Daniel are you braindead? You're drunk you need to go _home._"

"Are you deaf? I'm not going in that house, I won't." And in fact since Betty had made it abundantly clear that they were no more then a mess she had cleaned up without his knowledge, much like the food fight of their last night together, Daniel hadn't spent one night in his home… Sober at least. He hadn't slept in his bed, which that much was true, instead the man took to channel flipping and drinking his scotch from the bottle, passing out in a drunken stupor, waking up, going to work, picking up take out, going home and repeating the process. It had been a pitiful week and Daniel still wanted nothing to do with his home but the stubborn, pig headed heiress seemed hell bent on making his life a living hell.

First she teased the living hell out of him every time they were together, testing his will power, his loyalty and faithfulness to a woman who had granted him no such courtesy. Wearing skin tight clothes, short skirts and the way she batted her eyes or pouted her lips it was enough to drive a saint to sin Daniel was sure of it! Now though, when he wanted to take her up on her offer, now that he was open to it, she was cutting him off?! What was it about women that made them think that just because they had a vagina they could do, wear, and say whatever they wanted without any repercussions? Quite frankly Daniel was sick of it and if women, like the one sitting next to him didn't happen to be so damn sexy, he would have long ago turned to celibacy with a herd of Tibetan monks.

"If you think not stopping this car is going to keep me from getting out of this car you've never met me before." Daniel said but before he could think to open the door, Natalia had leaned over him and pressed her hand over the lock of the door, her eyes wide in amazement, fear, and again quite a bit of anger.

"Are you brain dead Daniel Meade? You're _lucky_ no one important ever goes there, this is so much worse than your page six days, you don't want to go home _fine_ but if you think for one second I'm going to let you out of this cab to make a complete jackass out of yourself in London you're sorely mistaken and one other thing, if that hand goes any higher up my leg Daniel, I will be making sure that they only Meade heir is you're sister's son... got it?" The woman threatened with narrow eyes, honestly quite done with Daniel's antics and it seemed it finally sank into the man, who at the very least made sure to keep his hand on the woman's knee, relishing the soft but toned flesh exposed to him.

"125 Yorkshire please" The woman said, feeling suddenly very tired, very defeated, and overall in the need for a nice hot shower and her very comfortable bed. She knew taking Daniel home wasn't the smartest of things to do, but she'd have Lucas and Marco stay, at least until she got out of the shower and Daniel was asleep. She wasn't sure what the hell had happened in his apartment, but thanks to this entire evening he was sure going to have a hell of a lot of explaining to do to her come morning.

When they reached their destination, Daniel had started to doze off but the sudden realization of the neighborhood they were in seemed to wake the man up as he looked out the window in near awestruck.

"Nice… very nice." He said with a shake of his head that on any other occasion would have amused Natalia, considering the fact that he'd seen her home once before, all she wanted to do now though, was get him out of the car onto her couch and near a trash can. Handing her credit card to the taxi driver to charge her, the woman opened the door to find Lucas' hand already waiting to help her out, as well as get an explanation as to just what the hell they were doing here and not at Daniel's place.

"I know what you're thinking but he nearly jumped out of the car when I told him I was taking him home what was I supposed to do?!"

"Let him?" Chimed in Marco, his Spanish accent thick, and the grin on his face playful but Natalia just wasn't in the mood.

"Please just get him inside and can you guys just hang out until he goes to sleep, I doubt he'd do anything but I'm not taking my chances and after tonight, I really need a shower." That being said Natalia grabbed back her credit card and left the men to their own devices as she walked up the stairs to her door, unlocking it and leaving it open for them to make their own way inside Natalia didn't wait for them, she knew Lucas knew where everything was and that he would take care of Daniel while she took a shower and readied herself for a good night's rest. The woman made sure to lock her bedroom and bathroom door while she readied herself, she didn't like that a man she had considered a friend would be able to bring out distrust in her but she knew all too well what alcohol did to men who weren't in very happy places, she'd seen it all and the woman just wanted the night to end and hold normal conversation with Daniel come morning light to find what it was that was wrong with him. For now though, with nightgown in hand, the woman slipped off her dress and heels and walked into her bathroom making sure to turn her radio on a high volume, for the next twenty minutes Natalia Macias didn't exist.

"All right buddy, one step at a time you've got it." Lucas coached the near passed out tower of a man he and his boyfriend were struggling to pull up a flight of stairs.

"Can't we just leave him here? I'm sure he will call for Natalia once he's hungry!" Marco complained as he started pushing the man up the rest of the stairs.

"You know, you turn into a real bitch when you drink." Lucas teased the Spanish man who didn't seem to appreciate the joke and would have stopped helping Lucas all together, had it not been for the fact that if Marco stopped Lucas would have been fully capable of letting Daniel drop and fall all over him, Marco knew his boyfriend quite well.

"This is not how I was expecting to spend our last night with Natalia, we were supposed to get so drunk I could sleep it off on the plane and not have to take my anxiety pills." The man started to pout as they again continued to hurl Daniel up the stairs, who looked for all intents and purposes like just a giant pile of fleshy clay.

"Which are you on? If you want, I know a guy." Daniel slurred before cracking up at his own joke though suddenly met with the overwhelming need to vomit. "Room spinning, room spinning, need to stop, STOP!" Daniel began to plead with the soccer stars who dropped him like he was on fire and backed away.

"I'm not cleaning it."

"Natalia can." Lucas said matter of factly because no matter how much he loved the princess, vomit cleaning was simply not in the job description, he'd done enough hair holding back to last a lifetime when they were younger, at this point _she'd_ have to pick up her boy toy's messes.

"Shut up." Daniel muttered from his spot on the floor, head in his hands, willing his stomach to settle. The stairs were silent for a moment, Daniel to his thought and Lucas and Marco exchanging unsettling looks with one another somewhat concerned as to what it was that the Meade heir had in mind to do. Daniel for the most part wasn't so drunk anymore, of course his body still felt like jell-o, he had the ravenous appetite of a stray dog and he was having trouble deciphering what way was up but he knew where he was and more importantly he knew where he'd be staying.

A part of him thought that this was a bad idea, that Natalia was a good friend and that he didn't quite honestly trust himself _not_ to do anything to the young heiress who had been testing his limits for quite some time. That being said, Betty was still on his brain, no matter how angry he was or how much she hurt him, she was still the woman that his heart called out for, she was the one that could fix this entire mess if she wanted to… But she didn't, did she? Not anymore. Daniel was on his own, and Daniel was on his way to spend the night with one eligible, available, _open_ heiress, someone that Daniel had _loads_ more in common with and someone who wasn't emotionally attached, unattached, or otherwise preoccupied with things that warranted no growth in her life.

"Let's go." Daniel said with a sudden determination that threw both athletes off as they watched Daniel wobbly make his way up, once again straightening his garments so that he looked presentable enough for Natalia they supposed and Marco couldn't keep from snickering at the poor sob as Lucas guided him to a large red door and didn't even bother to knock before opening the large door that led to an even larger space. Daniel couldn't lie and pretend that he wasn't fazed in the least by Natalia's money, she was like Matt Hartley's female counterpart, and he was even daring to wonder if she could out billionaire the man himself. The living room was large, plush white carpeting that accented the dark modern furniture, the sofas were large and plush and surrounded a fireplace and faced the large bay windows that flaunted London's skyline. Daniel saw three doors, one of which was closed and he couldn't stop the smirk that crossed his features when he heard a Shakira song playing over the sound of rushing water. An image that Daniel welcomed gladly into his mind so much so that he didn't notice Lucas rolling his eyes and walking into one of the open rooms and coming out with blankets, a pillow, and a garbage can container.

"This might be asking too much of someone that's completely wasted but try not to get any vomit on her carpeting, Natalia will skin you alive.

"I need to use the bathroom." The man said suddenly and shamelessly making his way towards the closed door only to find himself shut off and being led towards an open door by Lucas who seemed to be torn between amused and annoyed.

"Right this way my alcoholic Romeo, only the princess uses her private quarters." The man joked before closing the door on Daniel, leaving him to his devices as he made his way to the kitchen and without a second thought grabbed the spare key hidden on top of her refrigerator and after giving Marco instructions to watch after Daniel after he got out, the man made his way into Natalia's bedroom to find that the woman had finished her shower and was now slipping on a pair of short lightly printed cotton shorts that to no surprise clung to her in nothing short of a flattering form, but then again in all the years that Lucas had known her, he'd never seen anything short, tight, or low cut look bad on the woman. Then again he'd never seen anything long, loose or formal look bad, she was just one of _those_ women he supposed but she loved it, and he had to admit it amused him too. The woman's hair was still damp and clung to her shoulders, the weight of the water straightening her normally bouncy waves as she turned to face him, a tired pout on her face and the man couldn't help but to smile at the woman and open his arms letting her seek solace in him after the end their night had, he had to admit, it was pretty damn funny though as he rubbed a hand complacently up and down her back.

"He really isn't like this, I don't know what's been going on with him lately but I feel like maybe he doesn't trust me enough to talk."

"Honey I think you like to talk too much to give anyone a chance to talk."

"Jerk," Natalia muttered, as she smacked a hand across her best friend's lithe but toned chest. Feigning injury the man grabbed the hand on his chest and squeezed it gently in hopes to ease the heiress.

"The man's got a real line on you doesn't he? I can promise the feelings are mutual, he was trying to come in here and grope you."

"Drunken grope."

"But a grope nonetheless, what happened to romance free Natalia? The girl that said she was going to relax, focus on work and give herself some time to breathe? You went from one relationship to the other and it's only been a year, after 6 with Jackson and 10 with Sam, you really need to figure out what you want Bubbles." Natalia knew Lucas was right and she _had_ been having fun by herself, but what was to say that her and Daniel couldn't have a little bit of fun together?

"I want to go to sleep and figure out what the hell got into Daniel, I promise Lucas, I won't do anything."

"Not that I believe you, just don't trick yourself into thinking it's what you want." And his words cut Natalia deep but she knew that he was only looking out for her, so after another good night kiss and promises to call and meet up as soon as possible, the young soccer star exited her room, locking the door once again and walking out into the living room to find Daniel on his back, shirtless and apparently forcing Marco to wait in the dark, something the man was not pleased about in the least.

"The woman is your hag, not mine." And despite himself Lucas couldn't help but to laugh as he brought a hand to rest on his boyfriend's hip, feeling the sharp hipbone daring to peep out from his jeans.

"You know you love her, and me." He said before pressing his lips against Marco's who didn't pull away and in fact smiled, just a little.

"Not enough to deal with a drunken hetero, let's go already." The man said, pulling Lucas out of Natalia's house barely giving the man the chance to close the door to the darkened house, leaving behind a couple of packs of emotional baggage that was none of their business and would much rather wait to the get the condensed soup version over drinks during their next trip because Lucas had a hunch that Natalia wasn't the only one with a laundry list of love life screw ups, given the scotch soaked lump of potatoes splayed out on the plush black sofa, still it was enough to make the man laugh as he and his boyfriend exited the building and climbed into a cab, ready to get back to their hotel for some sleep.


	8. It's Like A Single Spark You Can't Deny

**Author's Note: ** Words have no way to describe how utterly HORRIBLE I feel about my lack of posting this past month and while I can't promise more frequent updates any time soon I sincerely hope you all stick with me through this rough patch in my personal life as well in this story. There are some things in life we can't control and right now they all seem to be crashing into me at once. I am going to dedicate this chapter to all of my consistent readers who let me know that I had their support through my lack of posting and to Betty the Bonita once again for just being a shoulder to lean on through my personal life hale storm, I appreciate it more than you can possibly imagine dear. Without further ado here is my next installment, hope you all like it even if it was a month in the making and I don't know exactly how I feel about it =\

**Song: 50 Thousand Stars in The Sky - Vassy (Acoustic)**

* * *

The sun was bright, nauseatingly so and Daniel's brain didn't seem to appreciate it anymore then he did the pounding in his head and the dry feeling in his mouth mingling with his hatred for sunlight. Daniel was fairly convinced he had the hangover from hell and threw the light fleece blanket over his face refusing to open his eyes or stay awake to deal with this feeling. The night had been a fairly large blur, he remembered going stir crazy in his house not having heard from Betty but seeing her in everything in his house. He hadn't eaten because going into the kitchen reminded him of their last night together, the bedroom was simply out of the question and the only reason Daniel dared to veer into his shower was because not even Betty could keep him from showering, especially not for an entire week. He remembered that by the time he had gotten the Viper Lounge he was already fairly plastered and after Natalia things got fairly hazy.

Natalia?

Suddenly the creeping, embarrassing feeling that he wasn't home hit him as he took in the extremely plush and comfortable couch he was on, the light grey fleece covering him and the fact that he was shirtless… Shirtless? Oh god what had he done? Had he taken advantage of her? Was he even in the right place right now to be thinking about another woman? Suddenly the onslaught of questions and his previous nights drinking caught up to him in one giant headache, and he had to wonder if that was what a migraine felt like. Then in an instant he heard something that reminded him of the 80's and he had to fight the groan threatening to come out because of all the things he wanted to listen to and revisit this morning, the 80's was not it.

Slowly Daniel peeled back the fleece giving his eyes the chance to try their best to adjust to the light, his eyes sorely scanning the room for a trace of where the music was coming from but the first sight he was introduced to was a beautiful heiress in a short pair of cotton shorts that clung sinfully close to her body (no surprise there) and matching tank top with lace hem. It was as innocent as it was sexy and it made the man feel all the more perverted for taking in the heiress bent over checking her refrigerator, dancing along happily to the beat. Shutting his eyes tightly, Daniel pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes tightly as he started to sit up and could hear the heiress calling out, obviously taking in his pain for her amusement.

He really screwed up last night, he just knew it.

It was the look in her eyes really, she didn't look pleased with him but he could tell that she wanted an explanation as to why, that she _wanted_ to give him a second chance, and the thought warmed something in his chest.

"So the sleeping beast awakes." Natalia teased as she went back to stirring the egg mixture for her French toast. Daniel watched her for a moment and didn't say a word, stayed put in his spot and simply took in the surroundings, the house was cool and he couldn't tell if it was air conditioning or open windows, the music had been turned down but the man could still hear it softly in the kitchen, and then he watched Natalia as she whisked the light custard for a moment longer then dipped in a slice of thick cut bread letting it soak up the cinnamon egg mixture all the while a grin on her face though the look on her face told him that it wasn't so much happiness as it was if he didn't explained what the hell he had done the night before it was his face that she'd be grilling up for breakfast.

Sex had obviously not been in last night's cards.

Daniel felt overwhelmingly sheepish and it made him feel ridiculous that this woman that was 10 years younger than him could make _him_ feel like he was a child no other woman had been able to do that… Well one other but she was no longer a part of his life and he would do everything within his power to make sure that _she _was no longer a part of his day to day thought process. The sudden surge of anger passed him though when he caught sight of Natalia watching him with an expecting gaze, her hand still holding the green striped bowl as she dipped her fingers in flipping another piece of bread, the smirk on her face showing him that she was very much enjoying watching him suffer this morning, boy he must have really screwed up.

I.. er, I really messed up last night didn't I?" Daniel said as one hand raised behind his neck to scratch the back of his head sheepishly forcing Natalia to fight back her amusement as she did her best to feign anger. Shrugging her shoulders and turning her back to Daniel, the woman set back to watching her breakfast, the sweet smell of sugar and butter cooking hitting Daniel's nose and turning his sensitive stomach, not that he figured Natalia cared much.

"If you count practically hurling yourself out of a cab and trying to break into my shower messing up… Then yes, royally." The woman turned around to face Daniel who stood up and was cringing at the few details from last night they were slowly creeping up on him, as was the fact that he had practically pushed Natalia against the taxi once or twice. He felt like nothing more than a dirty dog in the middle of heat and his face lit up at his own actions as he found himself looking for his white undershirt, feeling far too underdressed and not wanting to make things more awkward for the woman who was scooping out the French toast onto a plate and adding another two slices before turning her attention back to Daniel, her amusement obvious but It did nothing to soothe Daniel's guilty conscience.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you."

"The truth wouldn't hurt." Natalia said with a shrug of her shoulders and an attitude that very much suggested that like it or not, she would be getting some answers. Daniel just didn't think he was ready for that, not that he ever would but after what he'd done last night and after having been so drunk he practically dry humped the woman at any given chance, Daniel just wanted to find a dark hole to hide in and lick his wounds.

"It's too long."

"It's Saturday."

"It's complicated."

"Try me.'

"It's personal."

"Your hand ventured into a land that very few men have treaded, you're telling me, now sit your ass on that stool and speak. The coffee is in the pot and you owe me." Natalia's voice left no room for argument and the fact that she hadn't actually burned or spit on his food really let the man know that he really _did_ owe her.

But what could he say though? He'd been sleeping with his former assistant, the girlfriend of three years to his illegitimate half brother who he can't stand and would rather watch drown in a vat of cow manure? That he fooled himself into believing that he could have a relationship with a woman who had been a first hand witness to his page six glory days? Daniel wanted to keep his friendship and somehow he doubted that after hearing that Natalia would want to keep from having him committed. Stealing a glance at Natalia as she grabbed a coffee mug though, the look on her face completely serious, _not_ telling her at least _something_ would cost him a friendship that he really needed right now as last night had managed to prove, so he obeyed the young heiress' orders and sat opposite her on the bar, he noted that her stools were far comfier than his, than again everything in this house seemed overstuffed, larger than necessary and all around quite indulgent. He didn't blame the girl but damn he wouldn't mind if she shared a little bit of that inheritance.

Laughing softly to himself Daniel shook his head at his own 'Rich Jerk' thoughts and he couldn't help but smile fondly in remembrance to his first wife, she really knew him far too well for her own good. Natalia turned in time to watch him laugh softly with himself and she couldn't help but to grin herself, there was something about this man that just made it difficult for her to get too serious. He reminded her of Sam, a man that she had dated since the tender age of 16 until they'd broken up one year ago because it seemed to be that she was ready for something he didn't see himself having and it brought her back to her first love. Jackson Davis.

They had dated since they'd first met practically, though at 10 years of age what exactly can dating be summed up to? Six years evidently, six years of childhood and teenage romance, of bickering and love, of jealousy and possessiveness, of dying to be free but never wanting to be without one another. Natalia had been so affected by the divorce of her parents when she was 12 that it had strained her relationship with her boyfriend, Jackson it seemed had always been so sure that their love was forever and Natalia had only ever wanted to take it day by day and he was fine with that until her 16th birthday and an excessive (and illegal) amount of liquor had managed to find it's way into Natalia's sweet 16 birthday bash. To this day Natalia doesn't think about that day or that relationship, Jackson, like Lucas, went on to pro soccer the last she'd heard he'd been playing for the Galaxy for close to three years which would explain why they had run across one another in Los Angeles while she had been taking care of her dying father almost five years ago.

They had stayed amicable throughout her stay there but once her father had died and Natalia had moved to London to be near her grandparents she couldn't bare the thought of speaking to Jackson and not being near him. A part of her still loved the small town country boy and a part of her always would, it was why she knew that a relationship right now would be out of the question when all she ever did was think about her first love and when she had never been a single girl, something Lucas evidently thought made her a slight head case. She couldn't disagree with him though and as attracted as she really was to Daniel she didn't think that either of them were right to be starting anything with anyone anytime soon. Pouring Daniel a cup of coffee and grabbing herself a glass of chilled milk Natalia set down the mug for Daniel before grabbing some flavored creamer for the man and finally taking a seat. Grabbing her fork Natalia waited a moment before digging into her sweet breakfast to look at Daniel and once again order the man.

"So, speak." The girl said with a smirk before digging into her buttery, syrupy, sweet treat making Daniel laugh and shake his head.

"You just can't judge me for any of this once it's all said and done."

"No promises." Natalia teased leaving Daniel groaning silently as he too picked up his fork and started.

"Well about a year ago I started seeing this woman..."

It was amazing how little could be said in a week between a couple that had a lot of talking to get done, Taylor had managed to surprise Betty with a trip home to see her family, something that happened just in the nick of time she couldn't dream of not having her sister to talk to right now. It wasn't that Hilda knew exactly what had happened between her and Daniel but the woman was very good at smelling out extramarital activity from a mile away, Betty supposed that after having your own bit of dirty fun, you could catch what it was you used to do. She never judged Betty though and it made the woman feel worse because she knew that when Hilda had, had her own mess she hadn't exactly been the most supporting of siblings like Hilda managed to be for her. Most of the week had been spent with Hilda and her three year old niece Destinee. The name was sweet and couldn't have been more well placed for the couple who had suffered through three miscarriages before they were blessed with the bundle of life and energy that had managed to keep the house bustling even after Justin had started spending more time away from home then in, what with college, his job at MODE and spending his spare time at college parties, the Suarez sisters were glad to see that he was finally opening himself up to what life could mean for him and that he had managed to have the college experience that neither sister could have.

"So how's D?" Hilda asked while they sat in an Italian restaurant named Florentina's, the restaurant was small and quaint, they were seated out on the terrace and Destinee was having the time of her life gumming on a breadstick while her mother and aunt both took sips of their white wine and nibbled on the salad they had ordered while waiting for their food. Hilda had noticed that Betty hadn't mentioned the man one bit and that her and Tyler had been more amorous than usual as if they were trying to make everyone believe they were fine but all it looked like, to Hilda at least was a sign of just how rocky the things really were between them. She had also noticed that anytime Daniel was brought up Betty managed to get herself distracted, at the nail salon, it was her pedicure water being too hot, at home it was papi making empanadas and at the mall it had been a pair of shoes she saw from a mile away. Hilda may not have been the brains of the family but she wasn't the village idiot and she wasn't going to let this bone go.

"I love that dress on Destinee, I knew she'd look so cute in it when I saw it in the store in-"

"Betty!" Hilda yelled, garnering the attention of some other restaurant goers, turning Betty's face a deep shade of red.

"Hilda, we are in a nice restaurant not Queens!" She whispered harshly as she apologized to a couple that were still staring at their table in shock.

"You think I care? Oh little sister, you musta forgot who I am because I will get right up here on this chair and start airing out all your dirty laundry."

"Hilda, please." Betty pleaded with her older sister. "I'll tell you, just please." Silently it seemed both women gave one another a truce, not that Hilda was happy about it, and it showed on her face but Betty was no more willing to talk about Daniel than she was about staying silent.

"I stopped talking to him." Betty blurted out as fast as she could, not to confuse Hilda but to keep the pain from showing too much because the longer she thought about the fact that she let Daniel go, the harder it got for her to breathe and the more painful her chest hurt. The older Suarez couldn't keep the shock from her face as she tried to grasp the idea of life after Daniel, of Betty with no Daniel, of no more Meade Christmas gifts.

"What?! But why?! What happened?! Is this about Tyler? Because Betty I told you, we can get Bobby and some of his friends and have a little 'talk' with Daniel about you and Tyler." The oldest sister began, her defensive side coming out to play and as much as Betty appreciated it, and as much as it amused her, there was no way that any of this was Daniel's fault.

"It's about me and Daniel..." Betty said sullenly the guilt written all over her face. Hilda thought, refused to see it, a part of her had known for a while now, especially the way they talked about Daniel but the woman could never see her sister doing that, she knew that between Betty and Daniel there was a power something that no one could break or stand in the way of and a part of Hilda really did believe that if they ever opened their eyes past friendship they'd be able to see what it was everyone around them was always talking about. But to do something like that when Betty was still seeing Tyler, Daniel's brother Tyler, Hilda didn't think that Betty could be so stupid, or that Daniel would be so low down to taint their relationship with something as dirty as that.

"What about you and Daniel?" Was all Hilda said, though the expression on her face easily read what it was she was feeling about everything and Betty couldn't help but hang her head in shame as she felt the tears well up in her eyes again.

"I couldn't trust him, I couldn't hurt Tyler, I... screwed everything up Hilda, I screwed it up so bad." Betty began to cry silently, her chest heaving heavily and it killed Hilda to see Betty in such pain, she could see her fighting to control herself but it was proving to be more difficult than Betty could ever believe. Moving over to the chair closest to Betty, Hilda wasted no time in wrapping her arms around Betty and letting her baby sister cry freely, she didn't care if it ruined her top or if Betty's make up ran, she didn't care if they got any looks or if Destinee started getting fussy, right now Betty needed her and that was the only person that mattered.

"Let it out Betty, it's OK, none of this is your fault, if Daniel had wanted you he wouldn't have waited and whatever happened after is Tyler's for not paying more attention, you did what you thought was best and whatever happened in between doesn't matter. You're a good person Betty and sometimes good people make mistakes, that don't make them any less good, it just means they're human." Hilda assured her sister, smoothing out her hair as Betty continued to heave into Hilda's shirt, wanting to control the tears but just the fact that Hilda had known, that Hilda had suspected and that she had never once tried to tell her what to do, it made the woman feel worse and now to hear the words from her sister, to have Hilda believe that Betty was still good, it just made Betty feel even worse but somehow it made her feel as though she would be able to move past this.

Betty was a Suarez and there was a strong line of women behind her, her mother, a woman in a new country that raised two daughters to become as strong and independent as she was, then there was Hilda, she had gone through her share of heartbreak after heartbreak, she was a single teen mother in high school and she had managed to still get her beauty license. She'd learned from her affair and she'd managed to find love and marriage in the man she had never been able to forget. Betty was facing her own tests and she needed to learn from them and she needed to become a better woman not for her family but herself. Her tears would still come and they would stain her pillow, run her make up and redden her eyes but she would move past it because that's the type of woman she was. She was strong and if Daniel couldn't handle that if he couldn't accept her strength or her decisions than she couldn't have him in her life.

Drying her eyes in time for the waiter to show up with their food, Hilda moved over to her spot once again, her attention drawn to Destinee, giving Betty the time to dig out a compact and fix herself best to her ability, she thanked the waiter without looking in his eyes, the woman fixed her eyes and hair before looking at her sister and laughing sheepishly.

"Looks like I owe you a shopping trip." The young Suarez laughed when Hilda shook her head and waved it off.

"I'm sure when Justin sees it he'll rage all about how Rihanna was wearing the same thing in some music video, that's what he said about my cleaning shorts. It's like if that's what fashion is I don't even have to bother looking this good anymore." The two sisters laughed and for the time being left their conversation for another time after lunch when they were alone and they could finally hash things out and talk without worrying about wandering ears...

"I really wish we didn't have to leave, it just keeps getting harder and harder to leave every time we come back here." Betty said as she laid her head against her boyfriend's chest in the middle of the plush bed of the suite that he had of course rented, something about not wanting to bother his mother with staying at her place, although Betty had to wonder if maybe it was because he knew that all it would take was one look at them and his mother would know...

Things just weren't what they had been and they never would be, because it had all been a lie and Betty had been fooling herself into thinking that giving her heart to Tyler would be as easy as flipping a switch. Daniel crossed her mind every day, in New York more so, She would wake up in the mornings and just knowing where she was, it made her ache for the old days, for MODE and for the friendship she had ended all because she was afraid, all because she wasn't good enough for him and didn't want to be shown that every day. She didn't want to feel like she was settling for Tyler but at least being with Tyler meant Betty didn't have to worry about having her work ethic judged, about being ripped apart just because Daniel had a famous last name and she was just some average girl from Queens that had managed to get in to MODE because she was supposed to be some sort of contraceptive for the man.

"I know what you mean, but you gotta admit that life in London has been pretty sweet." Tyler said as he rubbed his hand up and down Betty's arm, his coarse hands sending shivers down her spine as she scooted closer to the man, her face nuzzling into the man's bare chest though she couldn't help but to think that life in London had slowly been driving her insane.

"Nothing is as good as being home though, cooking dinner with papi, spending time with Justin and Destinee, and being able to talk to Hilda without worrying if I'm going over my minutes because I don't want to get another 800 dollar phone bill." The memory made the couple cringe before they settled into silence. Not the silence that they used to have before, where nothing could be said and the smiles were easy. No it was the silence of unsaid words, of a slowly growing rift between the couple, a rift named Daniel Meade, and Betty was starting to wonder if having cut herself off from the man she had sworn to always be friends with had even been worth this.

"The good thing is the plane doesn't leave until 8 tomorrow and we'll have the weekend to catch up on sleep and everything else." Tyler tried to reassure his girlfriend though the woman looked up at him and her gaze said it all.

"What is everything else?"

"You know, just everything."

"…Yeah." Without warning Betty turned away from Tyler and the man let her, in fact turning his back to Betty as well and suddenly it felt as though the couple was once again a continent apart but somehow it made Betty feel better and she fell asleep quicker than she had in weeks.

"You're shitting me! Right?!" Was the exaggerated yell from the kitchen where Daniel and Natalia rested, the story had taken longer to tell than expected because Daniel had been so consistently nauseated by the sugary sweet confection in front of him and watching Natalia douse hers in extra sugar sent the man gagging and made the heiress feel ten times better as she watched him stumble over everything including her Siamese on his way to and from the bathroom.

"This is the kind of messed up a person can't think up, especially with this migraine and honestly Natalia I think your cat is trying to kill me." His worries made Natalia laugh as she shrugged her shoulders and cooed at the blue Siamese that was making her way into the kitchen and the empty barstool next to Natalia looking for attention.

"If you think Gia is bad you should wait until you meet Micha and Mono, that will give you something to worry about, Mono _really_ loves his Mamita." Natalia teased the man as she affectionately scratched her pet beneath the neck enjoying the soft purring noises she elicited before going back to Daniel. "This isn't about me though, why would you do that to yourself? Forget the fact that you helped the woman cheat which should show you the type of person she is, people don't just _cheat_ I just, at least _I_ never got it, no matter who it is. I honestly thought more of you Daniel so why would you?" The heiress didn't mean to sound as harsh as she was sure that she did but cheating had always been a sore subject and she supposed it was her parents divorce that had affected her and no matter the reason, cheating just never ended right.

"I thought she loved me.' The man said almost defeated and it did make the woman feel somewhat bad for the man as she stood and nudged her head towards the living room indicating for him to follow, which he would do gladly. There was something about Natalia that just made him want to give in to her, to do whatever she asked, he knew there was an attraction there, a strong one and at this point in the game he wasn't sure he wanted to deny it any further, what would be the purpose of it? There were the painfully familiar things she did or ways she acted that caused an aching in his chest but it was that same ache that made him _want_ her even more. Daniel was sure his head wasn't in the right place but it hadn't been in the right place for close to four years now so what was jumping in head first one more time?

"That wasn't love that was a booty call." Natalia told the man bluntly as she sat on the couch, watching Daniel follow suit, leaving some space between the two giving Natalia the room to rest one knee comfortably on the couch and on arm on the back rest, her body facing Daniel's and the man was left to wonder if she genuinely enjoyed testing his manhood because now more than every, despite the splitting headache Daniel was finding it difficult to control himself around the woman.

"You know five years ago, I would have never thought twice about her, or any woman for that matter and now? I am ruining a perfectly good friendship by bringing up a long running mistake, I'm sure you think I'm just the same pig from the page six days right?" Daniel wasn't sure why it was that Natalia's opinion mattered to him, but truth was, she felt like the only honest thing left in this world. Since he had met her the woman had been playful but honest and blunt about everything, sure there was the heavy flirting here and there that made the man wonder just what the hell he was thinking even considering that he could have a shot with her but it seemed to be that she was enjoying the attention almost as much as he was, especially considering her current outfit.

The white cotton print pajamas were tight in all the right places and exposed enough free skin to leave the man wanting more but Natalia seemed to be oblivious to the fact that he was a hot blooded male and that unlike Lucas _his_ reaction wouldn't be to smirk at the outfit, it would be to rip it off and have her buy ten more of the same thing.

"You're not that guy though Daniel, that Daniel was a douche and a half, reading about you was a joke, no offense but I wouldn't have wanted to be in the same room as that Daniel Meade. A womanizing pig who partied all night and thought daddy's money was his God given right? You are so much more than that, MODE brought that out in you and honestly I think this Daniel Meade is ten times hotter even if he is ten times older." Natalia teased the man watching his chest puff up then fall, before he started to close the space between the two, determined to get Betty out of his mind and in this woman's heart by any means.

"You know you keep talking about how old I am and yet here you are." The man's voice dropped down a timbre and Natalia could feel it in her bones, her relaxed disposition tensing softly before leaning towards the man who had seemed to want control of the reigns.

"This is my house." She tried to joke, tried to sound like a smartass but she damned the man for making her sound and feel so damn breathless, something Daniel had noticed and couldn't help but to smirk about, a smirk that only meant trouble for Natalia as she tried to back away only to find herself being backed into the couch's armrest, Daniel's arms on either side of her.

"And you brought me here." The man continued.

"You were drunk." Natalia tried to reason but she couldn't help but to notice that his cologne was still fresh on his shirt and that he must have found the spare toothbrushes in her bathroom because he smelled distinctly fresh and clean shaven, the girl's ultimate weakness.

"All sober now, scouts honor." The man said before leaning closer into Natalia. "You have great bedside manner you know that Natalia?" Daniel teased, his eyes grazing over the woman who always seemed so in control. To see her now, her body betraying her and her eyes fluttering shut as her breathing deepened, it was a sight to see and Daniel still couldn't seem to understand why anyone would want to break up with the woman.

"You're a jackass." Natalia shot back only to find Daniel's lips on hers before she could think let alone do anything but react. The kiss was electric, there was no doubt about it and it only made the woman wonder about everything else she had read about the man. Daniel couldn't say he was too shocked the woman was a phenomenal kisser, that much attitude and confidence it only came from being damn sure you were that good, and she was, she really was.

Time seemed to stop for moments that kiss the only thing that mattered between the two, all thoughts of Betty, of being single, of being in over their heads were shot to the wind because the way Daniel's lips and hands were working magic only made Natalia want to give in like his other flame had. She couldn't though, Natalia wasn't that kind of girl and they were friends, that was something she didn't want to lose, she really enjoyed spending time with Daniel, _without_ his tongue down her throat or vice versa.

"Daniel." The woman tried to push him away, only to find that his next instinct was to kiss his way down her neck, latching onto her pulse point driving the woman insane as she fought with herself not to arch into his attacks. "Daniel. We shouldn't" The woman murmured helplessly, her hands balling into tight fists against the carpet and couch leading the man to believe she wasn't very convinced.

"It doesn't seem like you mind." The man said with a smirk before continuing his exploration of the woman's body, enough to shake Natalia out of daze and try to sit up and away from Daniel, doing her best to keep him at arm's length.

"It's not that I don't want to. Just. Please, just listen." Natalia finally said with enough conviction to pull him off of her and keep him away. "You were drinking yourself stupid last night over a woman with another man, we have never even been on a date, I know there's attraction here I won't deny it but I'm not going to be a rebound and I'm not going to let you use me and I'm not going to ruin this relationship for thirty minutes of rolling around on the floor."

"Really thirty minutes? That's it" The man tried to joke.

"Daniel…" Natalia said and though her kiss swollen lips and disheveled appearance made it hard for Daniel to give in, he supposed he understood and nodded, though he didn't apologize for the kiss merely put on his shoes, an eerie calm in the man despite all the passion that had just surged through him mere seconds ago leaving Natalia worried that she had upset him.

Natalia watched, somewhat worried and upset as Daniel picked up his jacket and began walking towards the door and she followed him out.

"This is really what's-"There wasn't a chance to get much of anything else out before Natalia felt one of Daniel's hands wrap around her neck and pull her against him, there lips meeting once again, roughly but just as passionately and Natalia had to wrap her arms around the man's waist to keep from falling over in shock and lust. When they broke apart, Natalia couldn't help but to chase Daniel's lips fractionally rewarded with a soft peck to her lips leaving the woman wanting to sigh as she looked up at Daniel, his eyes full of a smug satisfaction she really hated to see but couldn't help but feel it in her bones.

"Dancing, Friday night?" Natalia nodded dumbly not sure what else to do and completely surprised to feel yet another kiss to her lips before he finally departed. "I'll call you." And suddenly Daniel left feeling better than ever, and Natalia was left wondering just what the hell she had gotten herself into.


	9. If You Wanna Scream, Tonight I Scream

**Author's Note: **Oh. My. God. You can all kill me now if you'd like. I have no real excuse aside from... I love the Walking Dead and as the masochist that I am I've started a new story for the Walking Dead and if your a fan of the show and Daryl Dixon in particular you MIGHT want to check it out. Aside from that I suppose it's been lack of muse and family troubles, same old same old I know but I really hope I have lost you guys and that this chapter however smutty it may be makes up for it. By the way did I mention smut? You have been warned, next chapter will have actual plot... I think. hehe

**Song: **Scream - Usher

* * *

Time had a funny way of leaving you behind and no one was finding that out better than one, Miss Betty Suarez. Since they had returned from New York her and Tyler had steadily grown further and further apart, instead of trying to talk to one another like they knew had to be done they avoided talking with trips, dates and especially sex. Just last night when Betty saw Tyler walk in with a tired and bothered look on his face she had practically raped him against the door. Later Betty found out that he'd really only been tired from a long day and sex hadn't even been on his list of things or wants to do that evening.

Betty was starting to feel less and less desired but somehow she couldn't help but feel better about it. Time spent with Tyler only made the woman think about Daniel and how he was doing. His number was no longer in her cell phone but that didn't mean it wasn't still burned into her memory, after all the man hadn't changed numbers in close to four years since he'd married Molly. She was sure the bill was a nightmare but he was Daniel Meade since when did things like bills make a difference to him?

She wanted to call him, to hear his voice, to see him and be held again just one more time. And after that Betty would never hurt him again because she knew Daniel deserved something better than being a dirty little secret and obviously he had seen that too, since it had been over a month since he had spoken to her. Betty wondered how he was, how The Guardian had been treating him, if he'd met someone else… That must have been it.

He had moved on to a smaller waistline and less emotional baggage, and all Betty was now was a memory to look back on when he'd found himself alone and away from his day to day life. Betty couldn't help but to feel bitter to a certain extent. The 27 year old knew she didn't have the right to be but the angrier side of her just didn't care, why shouldn't she feel used too? All Daniel had done was storm back into her life after he had finished his temper tantrum and all for what? He hadn't been man enough to tell her how he felt until he saw her life with Tyler picking up? Until he realized someone else was playing with his toys? All Betty had been was Daniel staking his claim, soothing his over inflated ego to try and prove to everyone that _he _was not just a man but t_he _man, it had happened when he was in Alex's shadow and it happened now that Tyler had staked the one woman that had never given into the infamous Daniel Meade.

Daniel swore that he loved Betty but if you loved someone you wanted them happy and Betty _had_ been happy with Tyler and now she was miserable and she was almost positive that _he_ was miserable too. And what did Daniel care? He wasn't around he didn't need to pick up his mess, like he ever had in the first place but still his blatant disregard of her relationship it angered Betty, who did he think he was not even bothering to stick around? He'd made a mess of everything, _her_ especially because as angry as she was all Betty wanted to do was see him, to be able to hold, sure she might slap him but God just to have him _there_ it wouldn't hurt to wake up every day knowing that there would be no message from Daniel, no chance at sneaking out for lunch, no nothing. The bouquet of roses he had bought her were long dead, they sat in a vase at her desk, wilted and dry but just as sweet scented as the night he'd left them for her. Betty's heart ached for that night again, to be lost in him, to sleep with his arms around her and wake up looking at his sleeping face. Betty missed everything about Daniel and as angry as she was trying to be it was just no use Betty couldn't get Daniel out of her mind or her heart, oh what she wouldn't give too see him walk through her door with a paper bag full of lo mein and fried rice. She missed the sex that much was true but what she missed all was their conversations, they could pick up exactly where they'd picked up while sitting cross legged across from each other feeding each other and laughing about any old thing.

Tyler never did that with her, not anymore most of his time he spent working, or sleeping, he was even learning to cook though Betty supposed that their monthly takeout bill was just becoming a little too much to bear for the man. Betty had talked to Hilda about it, talked about her guilt, her anger, how betrayed she felt and how horrible she felt for what she was doing to her boyfriend and all her older sister could do was tell Betty that maybe it was time to stop being logical and start being more crazy. How though? That wasn't Betty Suarez, Betty was a smart, tactical planner that got her way by precise actions that were thought out days in advance and always let all members involved win. That just wasn't the case with this and Betty didn't have it in her to keep hurting Tyler like this.

"Miss Suarez?" The intercom on her desk called drawing Betty out of her musings as she jumped slightly at the sound of the mini Betty's voice,

"Yes Caleb?" The woman answered her young assistant.

"Mr. Meade is on line one for you." Betty's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? What would she say? What _should_ she say? A part of her wanted to cry, while the rest of her wanted to call him a stupid selfish pig that had a lot of making up to do.

"Thank you Caleb." The woman said with the slightest crack in her voice before letting go of the talk button and gathering her thoughts for a moment, as much as she wanted to beg Daniel to forgive her and as much as she wanted to yell at him and ask him just who the hell he thought he was cutting her off, none of that would help them navigate out of this situation but picking up the phone would…

"Betty Suarez, Editor-in-Chief." Good. Professional was always good, it was neutral _solid_ ground and they could work from there.

"Betty, I miss you."

"…Tyler?" Wrong Meade, come to think of it Betty hadn't remembered Tyler actually having _taken_ the Meade name something didn't smell right to her. "Why did you tell Caleb you were Mr. Meade?"

"Well technically I mean…"

"Technically you're a Hartley."

"Betty did you wanna yip yap about my last name or did you wanna talk to your boyfriend?" And there it was, that annoyance that had been veering it's ugly head around lately if they weren't having sex or eating. They were no longer the cute name calling, teasing and playful couple. They were overact in public and ignore each other otherwise couple who didn't even spend time in the same room unless it was sex or sleep.

"Tyler… You just saw me this morning."

"I miss us, I miss dates, I miss you getting excited over this stupid holiday." Betty had always loved Halloween, dressing up, sugar for miles and the parties, oh how Betty loved going out on dates with Tyler to all their friend's parties.

"You used to love it too."

"Actually I loved you… getting so hyped up." Betty felt her resolve break, she felt guilty about something she had already done her best to resolve, was this Tyler trying to tell her he didn't love her?

"It's been a busy year I suppose, are we still going to Darla's party?"

"We ain't got no costumes." The man stated.

"Are you busy?"

"Why?"

"Meet me for lunch." Was all the woman said as an idea finally hit her.

"Betty can you stop thinking about sex?"

"Actually _I_ wasn't but thanks for the desire Ty."

"I'm just sayin'"

"Say all you want just meet me here for lunch, we can't miss Darla's party she'd skin us both alive." It seemed that was enough to finally elicit a reaction from her boyfriend who chuckled and Betty could feel the man smile on the other end, giving her just a glimmer of hope, just enough to keep holding onto this hopeless situation that turned a little bit more bitter with the days that passed.

"Be there at noon."

"And I'll be waiting at 11:55."

"Betty?" The sound of his voice stopped Betty from hanging up, he seemed almost unsure, nervous of what he was about to say and it made the woman cringe for just a second.

"Ty?"

"I love you baby girl." And Betty couldn't keep herself from letting out a sigh of relief.

"And I love you, I'll see you later." He may not have been Daniel Meade, but he was Tyler Reece, he was her boyfriend and they would make this work because at the end of it all he still loved her and she wanted to have earned his love.

"Caleb?"

"Yes Ms. Suarez?"

"I won't be having lunch in the office today and I might be out the rest of today can you please make sure that all my messages are forwarded to my cell?"

"Of course Ms. Suarez."

"Thank you."

It had been one month that Daniel had been pursuing Natalia, she had cancelled their first date the night after their first kiss and though Daniel probably should have felt disheartened he actually felt emboldened by her aversions. Had he managed to get the ever beautiful and sassy Natalia Macias to revert into nothing more than a blushing school girl? They talked on the phone for hours on end, every night without fail, and every night without fail Daniel managed to make Natalia choke on her words and it wasn't until almost two weeks later that Daniel had finally gotten Natalia to go out with him. They kept it safe at first dinner and some drinks, nothing different from what they used to do as friends, they'd even managed to keep the conversation light and aside from a few longing and needing stares and the occasional brushing hands everything was innocent enough. Then last week things to have finally escalated into _something_ when they headed out to their usual dinner but ended up having drinks at the Viper Pit, that night was still vividly fresh in Daniel's mind as he sat back on his couch for a moment taking in the moment to relive the night one more time.

The club was packed tight, almost like it's glory days and normally that would have driven Daniel to leave and have a drink at the W but with Natalia pressed against his side in a deliciously tight black dress that left all the men gawking, Daniel just couldn't pass up the opportunity to flaunt the woman on his arm. The man walked through the club like he owned it, like he was 21 all over again and the cream of the crop which if Natalia had noticed either didn't care or let it be because for her part all the heiress did was go along with it, her hand wrapped around Daniel's arm trying her best not to think about the fact that she was starting to give into the man and as much as she did like him Natalia knew that it just wasn't in one another's best interest to start something, especially if they both knew it wasn't going to end well even if she could see Daniel trying his best and genuinely wanting it to work between them but Natalia knew that look well and she wasn't willing to lose another ten years in something that wasn't for life.

_It was hard though, Daniel had a way of getting under your skin, of making you want to blush and the bolder he got the harder it was for Natalia to keep her walls up high. She'd been trying to pass their dates off as usual fun nights of hanging out, light flirting (because the woman was just a masochist) like they had always done. It was hard though with the way he looked at her, Natalia was only a woman after all and Daniel was a fine specimen of a man that she could all too easily lose herself in, the woman simply focused her attention elsewhere, __**anywhere**_ _else to keep from melting underneath the man's hot gaze. She couldn't help but to shiver though when his hands skimmed from her waist down to her hip, squeezing the supple flesh lightly eliciting a jump from the young heiress and a laugh from Daniel. _

_The couple made their way towards a booth, VIP of course no questions asked and were seated, the ivory silk curtains pulled shut as the couple ordered their drinks and were left to their own for a few minutes. Natalia sat away from Daniel, not awkwardly far but he had to admit that it wasn't something he was used to, to have a woman **not** falling into his lap, especially by the tenth date. Still Daniel merely smirked and took the spot across from her though in the small sectioned off space it was difficult to give the woman much space and as he stretched out their legs brushed against one another making it difficult for Natalia not to flinch and feel like such a school girl. They sat in silence for a few moments though the looks they were giving one another spoke volumes. _

_He could see her resolve weakening he wasn't sure why she was putting up a fight but she was breaking down and it was making him even more cocky than usual, something that Natalia wanted to hate but every time he gave her that stare that told her what he wanted to do it made the woman want to squirm anxiously, want to find out first hand just what it was that half of Manhattan's women had gotten to experience. She knew Daniel wanted to settle down, wanted a life and children that he had hopes and aspirations and as good looking as he was she should have been jumping at the chance for a relationship with Daniel but she knew that their hearts weren't what was in this relationship and **she** could accept that, but she didn't think Daniel could and if he didn't Natalia didn't see this going very far or ending very well and she had come to enjoy the friendship that her and the Meade heir shared. _

"_You're awfully quiet Natalia." Daniel inquired as their drinks were left on the table before them and the scantily clad waitress left them to their business, not before eyeing Daniel appreciatively making Natalia narrow her eyes territorially, dismissing the woman who looked at Natalia quickly before ducking her head and leaving the couple once again. She caught his glance at frowned at the man, Natalia may not have wanted to date the man but she was possessive and **never** shared well so no matter what if he wanted to date her or not, if they were exclusive or not, their time together was for **her** simple as that._

"_Shut up." The girl muttered at the man who was very openly chuckling at the woman before throwing his hands up and calling a silent truce with the woman, handing her, her pineapple margarita and the woman did her best not to smile as she took the fruity alcoholic beverage and sipped on the frozen slush happily. For a few moments they said nothing, their looks though were a different look, under his hot gaze Natalia couldn't help but want to shift uncomfortably and had to fight herself to keep from squirming while Daniel couldn't help but notice that she was wavering ever so softly and his ego was slowly inflating in an ever so cocky manner but something about it made Natalia want to just crawl over to the man and she could see the he knew. _

_They sat in continued silence casting lingering looks at one another until the waitress came back once more with a fresh set of drinks that they hadn't ordered and Natalia saw the way she didn't seem to care this time around if Daniel was with someone or not._

"_Were the drinks to your liking?" _

"_They were great, thanks." Daniel replied his eyes never leaving Natalia who was eyeing daggers at the woman who leaned into Daniel, plucking his half empty glass out of his hands._

"_We like to make sure our customers have **everything** they need." The blonde boldly replied to Daniel who broke his gaze from Natalia to look over at the waitress. She was pretty enough, a little too much make up and a bit too pushy for his preference but he could see where it was that she was used to getting what she wanted from who she wanted._

"_Well I'm going to dance." _

"_Nat-"_

"_I think she wants to make sure you have **everything** you need Daniel." The woman cut off somewhat jealously though she passed it off as annoyance as she stood, Daniel's eyes following her tanned legs, the expanse of her hips, the slim torso and what he had to call just an all too perfect chest. The piece of black fabric clinging to her leaving little to the imagination and as she stood in her mile high devil red stilettos besides the waitress, her wavy black hair bouncing effortlessly, Daniel could see the game she was playing as she muttered to the woman._

"_Don't let him down now, do your job well." The woman smirked darkly before heading into the overcrowded dance floor the curtains closing behind her leaving Daniel and the too forward blonde dumbstruck. _

"_Excuse me." Daniel said without a second thought as he gently pushed the server aside and pushed back the curtain met with a blaring sound wave of music and the aroma of alcohol, sweat and what he could only define as sex. The bodies were packed together tightly but he saw no Natalia, anywhere. _

_Daniel walked into the thick of the crowd, fighting off the groups of women all drawn to him instantly, the single good looking man obviously looking for something better than what he was watching. He could feel the music in his bones, the bass heavy around him vibrating from the floor and the women not looking at him seemed to be lost in the thick of things, the music, the closeness of bodies, the room dripped in hope of finding something you were missing. He was sure it was why half of the people had even come, to meet someone that would change their lives, someone that they could pretend with, if even for a night. Daniel didn't want to pretend anymore though, he had done it for too long and all he wanted to find._

_Was her…_

_It was like a moth to the flame when Daniel spotted Natalia dancing on a podium, her head rolling to the beat, her hair waving as her hips rolled to the beat of the song, pulling down on her dress if it stuck a little too high. He could see the young woman was enjoying herself, lost to the music, her hands up in the air not aware of the heart pounding sight she made in the dark lighting of the club that allowed everyone a nice level of anonymity. Her silhouette alone drove Daniel crazy as he made his way towards the steps of the podium, giving the bouncer at the bottom a flat look when he tried to stop him but there was no stopping Daniel Meade when he was on a mission and right now, Natalia Macias' affection **was** his mission. He was surprised to find the nice level of space the podium allotted them but Daniel didn't need much space to do anything and without a second of hesitation drew Natalia in against him surprised to find her melt against him immediately._

…_And I've tried to fight it (fight it) but you're so magnetic (magnetic)…_

"_I was starting to think that Barbie had gotten her way." Natalia teased Daniel her hand reaching up and holding softly onto the back of his neck causing a shiver to roll down the man's neck and the hand around her waist to tighten fractionally as he pulled their bodies impossibly tighter, his breath hot on her neck making Natalia swallow thickly when she heard his breathy laugh against his ear._

"_It takes more than a green light nowadays Natalia didn't you realize that already." _

…_If you want it done right, hope you're ready to go all night…_

_The woman had nothing to say and instead continued to dance, her hips rolling hypnotically but Daniel kept time with her perfectly, the limbs intertwined and faces pressed closed together unaware to the world surrounding them right that moment._

…_Devil eye's tellin' me "Come and get it"…_

"_I don't know if anyone's ever told you Natalia, so let's pretend I'm the first." Daniel said suddenly turning the young woman, his hand pressed against the dip of her back leaving the woman surprised as their hips pressed together leaving little doubt as to what it was that tonight had done to him. She didn't know what to do, she had always been the initiator, always said how fast things went and always left people breathless to have it done to her was as shocking as it was thrilling._

"_I don't mind playing these games but you should know by now-" Daniel stopped for a second to press a kiss behind Natalia's ear and he couldn't help but to notice the way her breath hitched or her body sinking against his and he made a personal note to remember that about her. "I never lose." Natalia was helpless under Daniel's grip and gaze, his words had left the woman breathless and wondering just what the hell she had gotten herself into. Daniel said no more and instead took the moment to dip his head low and press his lips against Natalia's who for once didn't fight or hesitate but reciprocated the emotions of desire and need for the man, her grip on his shoulder tight as he held her up, the music ringing in her ears the words painfully too true._

_Girl tonight you're the prey, I'm the hunter…_

Things had steadily turned into something more for the young couple but Daniel still felt the woman holding her back which was why it hadn't surprised him that the young heiress had decided against going out that night, her excuse being that going out on Halloween would have only led to violence on her part and that she would rather spend the night eating a dinner _he _cooked for _her_. Daniel had to admit that the conversation had made him laugh but he agreed nonetheless to cook the young Mexican beauty her Halloween dinner. He was currently putting the finishing touches on his oven roasted chicken, the rice keeping warm on the stove as he finished the last of his glass of wine. He had to admit that he had gone all out for the young woman. Roasted vegetables seasoned with rosemary, citrus and some ground black pepper, the chicken itself following a similar seasoning as he started tossing together fresh greens for a salad.

Nobody ever liked to believe that the infamous Daniel Meade had a way in the kitchen but to be quite honest Daniel liked to think that there was _very little _he had trouble with. A knock sounded through his house as if on cue, reminding him of the _one_ thing lately that had been giving him the most trouble. He didn't care though, and while they had agreed to keep dinner light that didn't stop the man from dressing in a black cardigan, a white undershirt peeking out underneath the hem and a pair of freshly pressed, crisp blue jeans. The man could have been fresh out of the catalogues had anyone seen him and he knew that as well so when he opened the door to find Natalia in a pair of faded light jeans with tears and frayed ends he couldn't help but feel smug at the slight drop in her jaw and raise of her brows.

"Wow… Don't you dress down badly." The woman teased after a second and grinned wryly as she held up a bottle of tequila and a box that looked to be hiding some sort of pastry. "I got us dessert." She proclaimed proudly before Daniel pulled her against him his arm wrapped possessively around her waist.

"You're sweet enough for me." He teased shamelessly, his lips pressing down against hers unabashedly and Daniel had to admit he was glad to find her no longer freezing whenever he caught her off guard and instead giving into him, much like she was right now and he had to admit the longer it went on, the more he was starting to like it.

"Mm, that was nice, but I came here for food, not rape… Not yet." The girl teased, letting out a small yell when Daniel raised an eyebrow at her and his hand traveled down the to curve of her bottom before grabbing it roughly making them both laugh but Natalia pushed away from him. "No seriously feed me."

"I've got something-"

"Don't start." Natalia warned as she walked into Daniel's house making the man grin as he closed the door before gently freeing Natalia's hands for her.

"I was only going to tell you I've got something on the stove, God little girl where is your dirty little mind?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Natalia teased the man as she followed him into the kitchen, her hand sharply smacking Daniel's ass making him jump and Natalia shrugged her shoulders innocently before pouring herself a glass of the wine bottle already opened and on Daniel's bar watching the man watch her, her expression merely amused as she watched him finish off their Halloween dinner all the time their eyes locked on one another the looks they were giving one another all too easy to read.

"Yes! Yes! Dinner sounds great! OK! OK! Bye!" Were the drunken shouts and yells of Miss Betty Suarez the bumble bee as she left the home of Darla Winters, fellow Editor-in-Chief of one of London's premiere fashion magazines in some ways hanging out with Lillian reminded Betty of home, of Marc and Amanda and the Modies she'd grown attached to. Tyler never understood the friendship between the women, but it was there and the bond was strong, so much so that as soon as they had entered Darla had stolen his bumble bee girlfriend and left Tyler standing around with the other half dozen vampire pooling around the beverage table all apparently left behind by their girlfriends as well.

It had been a good night, it was the first time in a long while that they had gone out as a couple and the first time in a long while when sex didn't feel like such a chore, as a matter of fact it was difficult not to catch sight of Betty from across the room in the black and yellow ensemble that matched a dress he was sure she used to own, only this dress was beautifully snug and shorter than her other dresses and the black tutu helped to conceal everything else about the woman. As Tyler hailed a cab for the drunk couple he couldn't help but to dip his hand low against his girlfriend's back disappearing into the black puffed up tulle making Betty jump but lean against her boyfriend.

"People are looking Tyler." She tried to chastise but the look in her eyes didn't exactly meet her weak tone.

"Then let's give them something to watch.' He smirked down at his girlfriend, the Chesire grin on his face making Betty squirm as their cab pulled up.

"I'd rather give you something to look forward to." Betty teased as she got into the cab surprisingly well sneaking away from Tyler who couldn't help but laugh as he got in after her, waving goodbye to the few people on the stoop of the house they'd just left. His attention was back on Betty quickly though and he wasted no time in cornering into her seat not that the inebriated woman seemed to mind as she wrapped her arms around her neck, eagerly meeting Tyler's lips with her own, her breath coming out in pants as the man let his hands wander freely no care whatsoever to the fact that they were in a cab and making quite the scene. The day had been good for them, they had gone for their costumes had lunch together and managed to have an actual conversation, they'd laughed like they hadn't done in too long, paid attention to what it was the other was saying and for the first time Daniel hadn't crossed Betty's mind in a good long while, even now as she found herself in Tyler's lap, his hands beneath her costume making the woman want to cry out but did nothing more than sigh deeply into the kiss.

"39 Pounds!" Came the impatient holler from the front seat of a disgruntled cab driver throwing Betty out of her lust hazed attack on her boyfriend. Biting her lip as she looked down at Tyler, his eyes darker than she'd last remembered the woman pressed one last peck on the man's lips before lifting her leg over his lap and hopping out of the cab.

"I'll be upstairs." She teased before closing the door and bidding her driving goodnight, amused to find Tyler sitting there for a second before finally searching frantically for his wallet as he watched Betty disappear into their home.

"Keep the change." Tyler said nonchalant after handing the man fifty pounds and immediately was hot on Betty's tail only to find the woman had locked the door to their house on him but he could hear soft music playing from inside. Tyler let out a soft groan, of all the times to play games with him in this drunken aroused state was _not_ it! Once again Tyler rummaged through his costume, chucking off the cape tossing it to the floor as he dug through the pockets finding his keychain and struggling, only for a moment to find the right key and finally breaking into the house only to find Betty was nowhere in sight.

Tyler wanted to scream, she was killing him, not having her was turning into slow torture he hadn't felt so needy in too damn long and all of a sudden Betty wanted to play? He was going to make her pay for this, over and over until she couldn't scream, until her throat was hoarse and her legs were sore. The thought alone made Tyler want the woman more as he headed straight to the bedroom stopped dead in his tracks by the sight that Betty made on their bed

The majority of her costume had been discarded to the side of their bed, her wings and antennas, the leg and arm warmers left alongside the tutu leaving Betty in a simple black and yellow tube dress and a pair of black mile high stilettos Tyler had no clue she owned but he'd have to make her wear them more often. She laid there waiting for him, in the glow of the moonlight and Tyler wasn't sure what it was that stopped him from taking her then and there, from making her scream his name to the stars but he didn't. Tyler walked up to her slowly, creeping up to the foot of the bed watching the woman squirm when he'd done nothing to her yet and the feel of power was overwhelming to him. His fingers glided over the smooth expanse of skin from below her knee to the top of her foot and it drove him crazy to watch Betty's back arch against the touch. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve a woman like this but He'd never been so grateful for it.

Slowly bending down Tyler lifted one of Betty's legs up, meeting it halfway, his lips pressed against her ankle, the cool of his lips against her fevered skin making Betty cry as her breath came in shorter pants the further up Tyler kissed. Anywhere he kissed driving Betty insane making a string of silent curse words fall from her lips as she did her best to stay still to no avail whatsoever. Tyler pressed one knee to the bed, his weight dipping down the bed as his lips pressed inside her thigh, closer to the dress closer to what Betty wanted and needed from him, if only he'd just take pity on her already and-

"Shit." Betty cursed silently when she felt the cool night air hit her unexpectedly. Tyler had lifted her dress and dropped her panties suddenly and Betty was left crying beneath his ministrations. Betty's eyes locked onto Tyler's for a second as his face disappeared down beneath the rest of Betty's dress and her hands immediately fell to his hair, tugging on the dark locks roughly but this did nothing but spur Tyler to keep going as he felt Betty twitch and squirm around him.

"Shh.. Oh fuck, oh Da-" Oh shit.

Betty fell slack for a moment but thank God Tyler was oblivious to her as she for a split second remembered that this wasn't Daniel and that it wasn't ever going to be him again. In a flash Betty had Tyler on his back, her hands going down to the belt of his pants, his eyes locked on hers that same dark lust still there and Betty could feel it in her bones as she leaned forward to kiss the man.

"I love you." She whispered but he said nothing to her, too caught up in the heat, in the lust and in her actions. Niceties were for another night, tonight was about making her scream and he'd be damned if anybody kept him from doing just that…

"Best food. Ever!" Natalia said with a laugh as she dropped her fork on her plate, a piece of half eaten chocolate cake left from the dessert she had brought them. They had long ago finished their dinner and were seated on the couch facing each other, a glass of red wine in the hands, Daniel's considerably less full than Natalia's as she took their silence and light ambiance as the opportunity to take a look at the man's apartment, it was cleaner than any other bachelor pad she'd been in aside from Lucas' but Natalia wasn't going to get into that…

Daniel watched Natalia's observant eyes and merely smirked as he laid his head back for a moment, not surprised to feel Natalia having stood from his black leather sofa and over to the lit fire, her eyes lingering on the few photos he had on his mantle, they were mostly of his family his mother, sister, Daniel JR and

"She was really beautiful." Natalia said abruptly as she fingered the silver frame that his wedding picture with Molly rested in. Daniel said nothing but nodded, Natalia could see the emotion in his eyes though. It was what told her that this was a bad idea, staying with him, flirting with him. _Dating_ him. Natalia wasn't going to say she didn't like it, because she really did it was like being friends, and then having sex but what she'd heard about friends with benefits was that things like that never ended well.

"She wanted me to be happy, she was constantly picking out girls for me, it was kind of awkward, but I get it now." Daniel said drawing Natalia out of her musings, he still hadn't moved from his spot but his eyes were now stuck on Natalia who was looking at him somewhat perplexed.

"When you know you'll be gone and when you love someone, you want them to be happy you don't want someone to spend their life crying over you when you know life is too beautiful to waste. There isn't a day that doesn't pass that I don't think about Molly and all the what ifs cross my mind but I know that isn't what she wanted for me so every morning when I wake up I come here and I kiss her picture and I tell her good morning and I always promise to live my life for her as well. Maybe it's kind of creepy and sad and pathetic but I think Molly appreciates it." Daniel said with a shrug of his shoulders. He'd never told anybody his daily routine, not even Betty but Natalia didn't seem to react the way he expected she simply put her hand down and off the frame and headed back to Daniel, her hand gently taking away his wine glass before pressing her lips against Daniel's and the man had to admit that it was a surprise not to have to initiate any sort of affection with Natalia and it was a nice feeling to feel her take the seat in his lap, watching her set down their glasses on the lamp table beside his couch. Daniel's arms were immediately on her hips his eyes roving her body that the worn thin wife beater she wore did little to conceal.

"You're full of surprises." Daniel said with a smirk when Natalia settled back into him comfortably and he had to admit that her weight felt like nothing against him but her warm body against his felt like heaven and it was making it difficult for Daniel to continue his gentleman ways.

"You're one to speak, I've met almost every side to you and each one still seems to amaze me, but there's just one side of you I think I have left to meet." Natalia informed Daniel with a devilish smirk, her hands toying with the hem of Daniel's cardigan making the man squirm beneath her which only seemed to egg Natalia on.

"Oh yeah?" Daniel asked, his voice dropping down an octave as he continued to watch the woman sitting on his lap biting her lip leaving no doubt as to what it was she wanted.

"I think you know." The woman whispered against his ear before dropping down to press a kiss on the man's pulse point pleased to find it racing. It was like a sudden switch turned on Daniel as he thrust against Natalia pleased to hear the small noises she made at the friction it had caused.

"Is that it?" And for her part all Natalia could do was gasp and nod, a wry grin on her face when she found herself suddenly on her back and left to Daniel's will and not minding it one bit. Maybe it was the confession he'd shared with her, maybe it was all the wine or maybe it was just the simple fact that Natalia wasn't going to lie she had wanted just _this_ since the first time they'd met. Daniel was like an outstanding force and Natalia was surprised she'd been able to hold him off as long as she had when he'd shown interest in her. She hadn't believed it would lead to anything and even now as he tore off her jeans leaving her bottom half bare to his desires, Natalia wasn't foolish enough to believe this would get too far but what was having a little fun before real life took control again? Daniel was single as was Natalia they were both adults and if the looks Daniel was shooting Natalia's way were any indicator as to what it was he was feeling right this moment than obviously they were going to be in for a _long_ night.

Natalia couldn't believe the time Daniel took on her body, it had the woman trembling as he made it a point to kiss every part of her body, skipping past the apex of her legs to the bottom of her stomach, his fingers lifting a little more shirt the further up he kissed until he was able to latch onto the peak of one of her lace covered breasts making the woman groan and arch into Daniel's touch.

"I told you I always won." Daniel teased the woman who tried her best to frown but given Daniel's hands on her body it was no use and her scowl came off as nothing more than a pout.

"Less talk more skin." The woman ordered pulling off Daniel's shirt, suddenly very impatient with how Daniel had suddenly decided to tease her but her impatience only served to amuse Daniel who pinned her arms over her head with one wrist while his free hand continued to torture the young woman's ample body making Natalia practically cry in frustrated need.

"Now you know how I've felt this entire month." Daniel teased as his hand circled the tense bundle of nerves between Natalia's legs making the woman's legs fall open and quiver with need.

"Shit.." Was all the woman silently muttered her head falling back, resting against her captive arms as she tried her best not to think of Daniel's hot gaze or talented fingers wreaking havoc on her body making her look like nothing more than one of his usual conquests giving in to his sexual appeal with no qualms whatsoever.

"Such a dirty mouth, I think you need to be taught a lesson." Daniel teased moving his hand away from it's spot between Natalia's legs making the woman cry out in frustration as she fought against Daniel's grips.

"Please! No, I need you." The woman practically begged her entire body taut as a bowstring as she tried her best to break free of Daniel who only seemed to find her struggle amusing but he couldn't deny the overwhelming feel of desire at watching the young nymphet writhing beneath him with the simplest of touches. A part of him felt all the part of a Casanova ready to teach her a lesson while the other part dreaded playing the part of an old fool and falling short of Natalia's needs or expectations but by the way she was panting, Daniel could tell it really wasn't going to take much to get Natalia to purr for him.

Before Natalia had the chance to take notice of Daniel making use of his free hand, the woman felt their bodies collide as one and instantly her back arched into Daniel's naked chest making the man's ego swell something fierce as he rocked their hips together pleased to find the woman struggling against the man's grips, her teeth raking across the man's shoulder eliciting a groan from Daniel who loosened his grip on Natalia enough to let the woman wrap her arms around Daniel's back her nails marking his pale skin roughly but the woman didn't care as she met Daniel thrust for thrust, their lips colliding against one another's in a fierce passion of much prolonged desire and need. Natalia didn't care that she was only complicating manners, that Daniel had her practically folded into the couch or that she knew this was only going to make him feel all the more delusional, all Natalia cared about was that he kept hitting that same spot, that spot that drove her wild, that made her see stars and colors, the spot that had only been reached few times before and Daniel seemed to have known the way to all too well.

Daniel couldn't even think, let alone care what was happening. He'd heard Natalia Macias was like a bad habit but he'd never understood why until now, until he was watching her unwind beneath him, until he heard those heady whimpers and her dark hair thrashing every which way, until he heard the way she moaned his name and begged him not to stop, he could feel everything about her and it had to be unhealthy to become this obsessed with someone so quickly but he'd come to notice quick that with Natalia it was love or hate it was in or out there was no in between and anybody that said so was a liar.

However long they were there for neither could tell for sure, lost in one another and the passion reaching a climax that broke all too quickly for both but leaving them sated and tired. Daniel wasted no time in pulling Natalia against him as they settled back into the couch, lips meeting lethargically before tucking her in to his side and pulling a throw blanket over them, the fire that was dying down providing enough warmth for the couple as they began to delve deep into the warm embrace of sleep but not before catching one last comment from the young heiress quickly losing consciousness.

"You can't mistake a good time with a life time Daniel, just remember that." The young raven haired beauty said but Daniel wasn't in the mood or mind to argue and instead let out a small laugh before falling asleep holding Natalia, her words quickly forgotten as he lost himself to the feel of her soft body pressed against his.


	10. It Must Be My Fate, I Just Can't Escape

**Author's Note: **omg I'm baaack! Lol really though sorry for the wait i was getting back into the writing game and then ten million family problems came up and then I moved! so to say it's been a time... It's been A TIME. Well this is near drawing to an end -gasp- I know and by the end of this chapter I don't know how many readers I'll have but I promise it is all done with Detty in mind lol, sometimes the road to love just has to take a back road and detour here and there hehehe, anywho I actually came to really enjoy writing this chapter that being said I know it might be a little dramatic and some might not like it but _I_ did so I hope i can you that artistic freedom line to justify this chapter lol. Without further ado here you are, love, enjoy, cry, hehe

**Song: **Christina Aguilera - Dreamy Eyes

* * *

The holidays were among London in no time, cheer surrounded the city and while some parts were dusted in fluffy white snow, the city itself was not spared that luxury but the extra chill did make for the perfect excuse for couples and lovers alike to get together and create warmth by whatever means necessary. It was why Daniel had been spending all of his free time with Natalia in her bed, on her couch, and a very few select times they hadn't made it past the front door, those were Daniel's favorite times, watching her muffle her screams into her hands, dress lifted around her waist worrying about what would happen if her neighbors heard and Daniel, Daniel probably couldn't have cared less he just wanted to watch Natalia fall to his whim which she did every time.

Almost

"Why won't you come spend Christmas with my family?" Daniel asked Natalia as they lay in a heap of tangled limbs that despite the cold weather outside their earlier activities had left them sweating and trying to catch their breath.

"I told you, my grandparents always have a Christmas ball for the holiday and I can't be expected to miss." The woman said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Natalia that's every Saturday _before_ Christmas, you'll have plenty of time before then to spend with them, come to France with me. You can meet my sister and DJ he's such a great kid I'm sure you'll love him and my mom I'm sure she'll love you." Daniel almost pleaded with the woman and a part of her really wanted to give in, to fool herself into a relationship but something just didn't feel right.

"And what am I going to be? The girl you go out with for an hour tops only to find yourself back at her place and ripping her clothes off? Which by the way I wasn't joking, that dress was expensive and so was that shirt from last time, I want compensation."

"Money?" Daniel asked blindly reaching for his wallet feeling somewhat sheepish after being called out for his impatient ways and he was surprised to see Natalia roll over him so that she laid directly on him and traced the hand reaching for his wallet grinning at the blank confused look on his face as s he ushered the wallet away from his grasp.

"I'm not a prostitute honey how about you get a little more creative with the pay back." And finally when the fog cleared from Daniel's mind his charm was back and he wasted no time in flipping the woman onto her back.

"Well if _that's_ all you wanted, all you had to do was ask." The man said with a wry grin as he shoved the blanket that had covered them aside to reveal Natalia's naked form to his greedy eyes and it was almost amusing to watch Natalia try and take control, she had a need for dominance that he could see without a shadow of a doubt and though he enjoyed giving in to her, some nights he quite liked being the boss.

Pinning her arms over her head despite her squirming and grinding against the man, Daniel couldn't help but to grin down at the woman beneath him, a godsend really, payment for the hell he'd been enduring since moving to London. "Hasn't anyone ever told you patience is a virtue?"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you, you talk too much?" Natalia scowled, continuing to fight against the man's grip and was slightly appeased when the man began a slow deliberate attack of her neck and chest. Natalia couldn't help but to whine every time Daniel found a sweet spot and lingered there and Daniel thrived off those small noises and movements, it was all driving him absolutely crazy, they had been together three months now and it was quickly becoming his most passionate relationship. He could never get enough of Natalia and if it wasn't him, it was her not that he was complaining but sometimes he wondered why it was Natalia just didn't want to make things more serious.

"My girlfriend" The man said out of the blue but it did nothing to the young beauty lost to her body for a second before she furrowed her brows together in confusion and pouted, her body twisting softly as she looked down at Daniel who was resting softly on her, his head at level with her chest.

"What." Was her only reply as she once again tried to break from Daniel's grip but the man was having none of it and in fact adjusted both of her small wrists into one hand while the other took the liberty of running along her long silky legs, the soft skin heavenly against the pads of his fingers and once again Natalia could have cared less what he was talking about.

"You aren't a prostitute, you're right, you're my girlfriend." The man said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and for a moment Natalia stopped to look at Daniel once again.

"Well given our situation right now, I think I'd rather be the prostitute." She tried to joke but all the foreplay was pushed aside and before Natalia could think Daniel was once again level to her, his hand brushing her face and absolutely nothing about him was joking.

"Natalia I don't know what makes you think that this isn't serious, for me this is and I want it to be to you too-"

"-Daniel-"

"-Just hear me out." The man pleaded and though he could see the doubt in her eyes Natalia said nothing and waited for Daniel to continue, a part of him was annoyed but honestly he was just amused at how stubborn the young woman was, he'd heard about it but to be a first hand witness to it, he had to admit the stories had nothing on the real deal. Pressing his lips down to Natalia's and kissing a path from her full and pouty lips to her cheek Daniel stopped just next to his ear, the hand that had been holding her wrists up relinquishing their hold and though the first thing Natalia seemed to want to do was distract him when she was pushed away, immediately the woman stopped a small pout on her face enough to make him laugh.

"Just listen. I know you think this is just a fun time and that we're just friends but Natalia a woman like you doesn't come across every day and I'd be damn stupid not to know that. I know you're scared we won't go far or that we won't be friends after this and a part of me is too but I'm not a coward and I doubt you are and I have faith in this, you know everything about me, you read the tabloids and somehow still you're here with me I've got to believe that a part of you wants this to be more too." For a long time neither said a word, Natalia laid down and Daniel hovering over her, he watched her fingers trace the fine toned lines of his arms and for a few moments it was starting tog et hard for the man to breathe, had he just come across as a damn jerk off of to this woman had he just screwed everything up?

"I'll think about France. No promises. No labels." Was all the woman said and when Daniel's eyes met hers he saw her struggle saw her wanting not to give in but wanting to make him happy he figured that this was as best as it was going to get and for now he supposed he'd have to live with that.

"One label" The man said.

"Oh really?" Natalia's temper starting to show it's presence.

"Mine." Daniel said with a grin and before Natalia could protest or laugh at his antics they were once again picking up where they had left off and all that could be heard throughout the dimly lit house were the heavy breaths and low moans of a couple that wasn't truly a couple.

Christmas in France was something else, Betty had never seen it before, this being the first time she forewent flying to her family and spending it with the Meades. They had only just landed and already Betty was spellbound something Tyler lovingly noticed.

"It'll get better once we're outside." The man teased his girlfriend as he offered her a hand to help her off the family jet.

"I can't believe you've kept this a secret from me." Betty joked as she let her boyfriend help her off the private family jet and escorted her quickly from the harsh Parisian weather into the warmth of the family car while he and the driver got the luggage into the car. It was luxuries like these the Meades had never been able to give up, that Tyler had settled into quicker than he had thought he would that made Betty uncomfortable. The woman wouldn't lie and say that the option of having those sorts of things didn't appeal to her, but flying coach would have been just as good for her but at the end of the day this argument never led anywhere for Betty and she always gave into the Meade's desires… She had a knack for that kind of stuff.

"Ma's dying to see you again she says that it feels like forever since this summer." Tyler said as he settled into the car with Betty, his arm automatically wrapping around her and the young Latina didn't think twice before she was melting into her boyfriend and grinning.

"I've missed your mom too, I'm so excited to see DJ I haven't seen him since he was 12." Betty proclaimed and though thoughts of Daniel junior brought up thoughts of Daniel senior there was one thing Betty was thankful for and that was the fact that Daniel would not b present this year for the Meade festivities.

Tyler had told her that their mother had mentioned previous engagements and though nothing further was divulged Betty didn't actually care, and the fact that she had been assured that Daniel would not be present was the only reason she had finally agreed to partake in the Meade's holiday festivities before seeing her own family.

It had been months since they'd spoken to one another and Betty finally felt like her heart was healing, like she could move on she didn't have to keep worrying about tiptoeing about her relationship, she was with Tyler she was firm and finally she felt like building something real with Tyler was actually possible. Deep down a part of Betty was still attached to Daniel and the woman had to wonder if it would always be like that but for now she didn't want to temp fate and start testing the waters. She didn't want to feel like she was settling and she didn't want Daniel spitting his venom back into her relationship and while they still had their problems they'd had three months of progress and while Daniel still snuck in it was happening less and less, Betty didn't want to hear Hilda's updates on the man, she never asked Claire and if he was brought up Betty cut conversation short because for the time being, complete separation from him was what was best for the woman.

"You're awfully quiet babe." Tyler mused, his lips pressing a kiss to Betty's hair and the woman couldn't help but to grin warmly at her boyfriend.

"Just can't wait to get there already." The woman lied through her teeth and if Tyler noticed or knew he didn't say a word. Their car ride was silent but once again the silence had become comfortable and though Betty's mind dared to drift off towards Daniel here and there Tyler was there to save the day for her with a soft kiss or some landmark they were passing. Paris was just lovely and though they were nowhere near the city, Betty was left thinking that nothing would ever beat this countryside view especially with the man holding her close.

"We're not far now, five minutes tops." Tyler said with a grin and Betty couldn't help but to reciprocate the gesture and a part of her was dying to see it already, they had always spent Christmas in New York with her family but this year it was his family and who knew maybe next year everybody could get together, Betty would like that. The possibilities of life with Tyler of a fairytale romance with past mistakes forgotten, it made Betty's heart flutter and her stomach flip, to finally find peace after everything they had gone through this past year after everything she had done and still, Tyler loved her.

"I love you." Betty said whole heartedly, her lips softly pressing to Tyler's as she felt him smile into the affection something Betty had always had trouble doing if it wasn't going to lead to some sort of bedroom activity and though it caught the man by surprise he wasn't complaining and was in fact somewhat proud to have been the man that Betty had chosen to love the way she did.

"We're here." He muttered against her lips when he felt the car reach a stop and the young woman grinned widely against her boyfriend's lips, she was so excited for a holiday with the Meades a holiday without Daniel and most importantly a holiday _with_ Tyler. Her boyfriend left the car first before turning around and offering his hand to Betty who took it graciously as she stepped out of the car and into the chilly Paris air making the woman tighten her overcoat before placing her arm through Tyler's and heading up the steps that led to the gorgeous cottage-esque manor that though no surprise was larger than necessary looked at felt surprisingly warm.

All it took was a simple knock before they were greeted by a young blonde woman dressed in a simple black dress and Tyler smiled warmly at the woman who returned the gesture a little too warmly for Betty's liking but said nothing as she clung to her boyfriend almost possessively.

"Bonsoir Allison! Comment allez-vous? Il a fait tellement longtemps que je ne t'ai pas vu!"(Good evening Allison! How are you? It has been a long time since I've seen you) Tyler spoke flawlessly and before Betty could control it her jaw had dropped and her grip had gone slack, since when had Tyler learned to speak French and how long had he known _Allison_ to be so friendly with her? Betty didn't need to know French to know that he was obviously amicable with the girl and though she knew she had no right to be angry at all for Tyler having a female friend the woman was starting to see what it was to feel threatened by someone and she really wasn't enjoying it especially given the sparkle in Allison's eyes when she had seen Tyler.

"Oui, il a été longtemps en effet, Monsieur Tyler. Votre famille a été attend vous et votre petite amie." (Yes it has been a long time indeed sir Tyler, your family has been expecting you and your girlfriend) The woman said, though she made sure to keep her enthusiasm muted as she smiled at Betty and even curtsied towards her and try as she might Betty couldn't keep the upset look off her face something Tyler had noticed immediately and before they headed into the family room where Betty could hear Claire talking to Alex in he ushered her off to the side his fingers coming up to brush the side of her face. Betty bit her bottom lip, she knew she had looked like an idiot and she knew that Tyler had noticed and a part of her just wanted to cry because she felt like nothing less than the hypocrite she was.

"Are you OK?"

"Since when do you know French?" Betty tried to change the subject and Tyler merely shrugged his shoulders.

"DJ taught me some stuff here and there, Betty you do know that Allison has been here since she was-"

"Tyler let's just forget it… Please." The woman pleaded, she didn't want to ruin their night with her insecurities and what Allison was or was not didn't matter Betty didn't want to think about Tyler falling for the maid, not because she _was_ the maid but because she knew that in reality that was what Betty had coming to her.

"She's a sweet girl Betty but she isn't my girl." Tyler comforted his girlfriend, pressing his lips to her forehead making Betty want to cry but she simply nodded her head and took a deep breath and smiled at him.

"Where's the bathroom? I think I need to freshen up before I go in to meet your mom." Betty said and though she was trying to brush it off Tyler could see the tears threatening to well in her eyes and a part of him couldn't help but to feel like a jackass but for the most part he really was just confused because he'd never thought of Betty to be the jealous type especially considering the women involved in his line of work. The man said nothing though and nodded before pointing her towards the hall bathroom but stopping her long enough to place a kiss on her cheek and whispering in her ear.

"I love _you_ Betty, no Allison could ever change that." The man reassured his girlfriend but Betty only found herself feeling worse as she nodded and headed into the bathroom making sure to lock the door as she found her way in, paying no mind to the fact that she could hear voices murmuring in the hall and the woman wanted to hit the door and shut them up. Allison didn't _know_ her, Allison didn't have the right to _judge_ her, this year had been hell on Betty and if she was a little but unstable what business of _anyone's _was it to judge her for it? The tears fell down Betty's cheek hotly as she rested her head against the door of the bathroom and banged it softly against the heavy oak that granted her privacy, the voices had long ago faded and Betty took a second to collect her thoughts.

Tyler loved _her,_ she _chose_ to spend Christmas with him and build this relationship after all her mistakes she'd finally made a decision, so what was the problem now? There was always a setback for her with Tyler she was always holding back and Betty didn't know why. Daniel was no longer the problem Daniel had made his way out of her life easier than she would have thought and though it hadn't been easy it was done so what was left to do now?

Spend Christmas with the damn Meade clan like she had said she would.

Well the Meades that she was still talking to, so after another deep breath Betty made her way over to the sink and grabbed a hand towel dampening the cloth with cold water and dabbing it onto her face Betty took a second to breathe and shake off whatever the hell had just happened to her and looked into the mirror but didn't like the woman staring back at her.

It was a shell of the woman she was, a lie. Her hair was pristine, her make up flawless and her skin looked smoother than ever but beneath that Betty couldn't find herself anymore all she was a liar and a hypocrite trying to make things right but failing miserably. She was Betty Suarez, always had the answer always fixed what was broken but how could she fix this? Would playing pretend really be enough to make things right between her and Tyler?

For tonight it would have to be.

After tonight she would have to take it a day at a time and pray that Tyler would love her through everything she'd done and for what she was. After reapplying her liner and mascara Betty took a deep breath and smiled at herself, that same megawatt reassuring smile that always brought out her eyes except nowadays though that smile was there it never seemed to reach her eyes no matter how she tried. It was good enough though and with one final look at herself in the mirror and a fix of her dress Betty walked out of the bathroom sending a smile to Allison who returned the gesture demurely before offering to take the woman's coat and pointing her in the direction of the family room, though Betty would have needed no help she could hear the laughter of Claire and her children from the hall. Opening the door that was keeping the warmth in all eyes were drawn on the woman who grinned widely and met Claire Meade with open arms.

"Betty! My dear look at how magnificent you look tonight, that dress is simply marvelous on you! I was starting to worry dear is everything all right?" Claire asked with her usual concern, she always fussed over Betty, always made sure Tyler never forgot her birthday or treated her badly it really was heartwarming and the woman nodded letting out a slight laugh.

"Just wanted to freshen up before showing my face, I know we always see each other but I didn't want to look like I didn't at least try." Betty joked making Claire laugh before pulling her in for another whole hearted hug that warmed Betty's heart.

"Oh dear, you've _always_ been exceptionally beautiful those sorts of things you can't prepare for." The woman reassured her daughter in law before pulling away and Betty found herself face to chest with Alex and the woman had to admit the woman was only getting better with age.

"Well hey there sister dear." Alex teased Betty before bringing her in for a much less enthusiastic hug but did press a kill to Betty's cheek. Alex respected Betty, she always had but she was also a realist and since Tyler had shown interest in her and since Betty had diluted herself into thinking that it was what she wanted the woman though silent had never been fully supportive. She'd always caught the looks Betty and Daniel gave one another and whether she knew it or not Betty had never given Tyler those looks but as the eldest born Alex stayed out of it, she had been done with love for quite some time and their entire tangled mess was reason as to why the woman had long ago quit the dating game.

"It's good to see you too Alex, it's been a while." Betty responded to the woman though not entirely too confident in herself because the look that Alex gave her, _every time_ it made her self conscious made her feel like there was something she didn't know, like there was something that Alex could see through and it made Betty want to squirm.

"It has hasn't it? Well thank you for making it this year, there will be a few more guests in attendance, nothing too fancy, friends of DJ's associates and neighbors, that kind of stuff hope you don't mind." Alex said with a wry grin.

"Why would I mind?" Betty asked genuinely confused by the question and that only seemed to amuse Alex all the more.

"Well you know I just want to make sure you know that we won't be the only ones here."

"Alexander." Came the firm, warning voice of Claire Meade and immediately Alex's power was lost as she turned around to whine at her mother.

"Mom I told you!"

"Then mind your manners and leave Betty alone, our guests are arriving." And as more bodies started fill the room, Betty immediately found her spot beside Tyler, tucked beneath his arm in the crook just for her as he handed her a flute of champagne before leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.

"I think she likes you." Tyler teased about Alex and Betty's response was to smirk at the man and elbow him gently.

"Funny." She said with a grin before brining her lips up to his for a moment of tender affection before they were broken apart my Claire who was dying to show off her daughter in law to old family friends and dragging Tyler off elsewhere for business collections making the young Mexican woman laugh as she blew one last kiss at Tyler before a whirlwind of French and English greetings and trying to make sense of one thing or the other but in the chaos Betty found herself relaxing and enjoying herself, laughing and for the first time in a long while not worrying about anything…

The night had passed quickly, Tyler and Betty had managed to find each other once again and though it was only 11pm some people had long ago left, DJ's friends were still there as were the neighbors and close family friends but now everyone had the space to sit and chat quietly, Betty had taken to sitting beside Tyler whispering into his ear and him returning the gesture making the woman giggle and kiss him gently. The two were lost to the room and though few noticed no one minded and in fact cooed at the young couple but the knocking of the front door surprised many people there, even Allison who had immediately started for the door only to find Alex stopping her a wry grin on her face as she let the young woman stay in the room and left to answer her door leaving the people in the room talking amongst themselves.

"Who could that be?" Betty asked curiously.

"Maybe Alex finally got a boyfriend." Tyler joked making Betty nudge the man but grin.

"You're so wrong." But regardless they both laughed as they turned back to the door to find Alex heading in with a sneaky look on her face as she blocked the door for a second before stepping aside and Betty felt her entire body tense and freeze at the sight that was at the door.

"Daniel!" Claire Meade cried happily as she ran over to hug her son tightly. "I thought you couldn't make it!"

"Didn't Alex tell you?" And immediately all eyes landed on Alex who shrugged nonchalant as she walked away.

"Oops." The only thing she said as she found a spot at her bar pulling out a bottle of vodka and two glasses as well as Daniel's favorite bottle of scotch and pouring him a glass. Betty watched Alex suspiciously and the woman looked up at Betty and winked making something in Betty's blood run cold as she looked back at Daniel who hadn't even taken the time to look at her, Tyler on the other hand had tensed and she could see the way he was gritting his teeth, his eyes stalking Daniel as he was interrogated by his mother and Betty didn't fail to notice the way the arm around her shoulder tightened almost painfully and for a moment Betty just had to breathe.

"I'm going to talk to your sister." Betty said quickly before making her way to Alex who was sliding the glass of vodka and cranberry at Betty, a smirk on her face.

"What the hell is this Alex?"

"Wait, it gets better." The woman said with an all too joyful look on her face as they all heard Claire Meade gasp and hit Daniel.

"When did you plan on telling your mother?! How long have you been together? Was a phone call so much to ask for?! Hello dear! Aren't you just the most darling thing I've seen! Seeing as Daniel can't seem to call his mother from time to time how about you answer some questions for me?" There was a soft feminine laugh followed and Betty's blood ran colder than it had in years and there was a feeling in the pit of her stomach, she wanted to vomit it couldn't be… Just couldn't.

"Thank you, really. I'm Natalia Macias, Daniel's girlfriend. We've been dating three months now and I just wanted to make sure it was official before I went around bragging, honestly." God who was this girl? Betty hated her, three months? Pft, Betty had been Daniel's friend _five years_ and his lover for one and no one even knew so three months, please, spare Betty. Alex saw everything going on in Betty's face and couldn't help but to continue.

"Oh it gets even better watch."

"Shut up." Betty muttered darkly but couldn't help from looking at the sight and as Claire moved away to introduce Daniel's _girlfriend_ to the room, the color all but drained Betty's face and the grip on her glass was bone white and she was surprised she hadn't cracked the glass as the room all took in the young woman, god Betty couldn't even deny how beautiful she was. She was almost as tall as Alex but still shorter than Daniel, she had long legs, she was tanned and her dark hair was flawlessly fixed in loose waves. Everything about her was beautiful and the white lace cap sheath dress with a white underlay, everything about her screamed money, class, sophistication and everything about Daniel screamed head over heels and suddenly all Betty wanted to do was drink the void in her chest away.

"Why didn't you tell anybody?" Betty muttered darkly turning to face Alex who shrugged and ignored the jealously written plainly all over Betty's face as she picked up Daniel's glass of liquor and left Betty to her own devices.

"I don't have to tell anyone anything, be a dear and pace yourself this décor is expensive and vomit stains are never in style." The woman said before walking away from Betty and towards Daniel and Natalia who were tangled up in one another and offered her baby brother his glass of scotch. Betty watched with grotesque interest as Daniel offered Natalia a sip and the woman glared playfully at the man before hitting him only to find the arm wrapped around Natalia's waist pulling her in closer and it was like September all over again but Betty wouldn't cry, she refused to cry… She'd drink. And if she threw up on Alex's pristine décor, so be it.

"Est-elle pour moi?" DJ asked dumbstruck as he looked up at his uncle's girlfriend, his eyes lingering a little too long on her legs earning a good whack from both mother and grandmother before the teenage boy looked up sheepishly at the woman who laughed and shook her head.

"Non, mais de lui donner quelques années." (No, but give it a few more years) The woman said with a wink that made everyone laugh and had Daniel pulling Natalia in closer.

"You never told me you spoke French."

"See, there are a lot of things you don't know about me Mr. Meade." The woman teased.

"I can't wait to find them out." The man said before pressing a brief kiss to the woman's cheek making her grin and blush softly as she looked back at Daniel's family who looked at the couple mirthfully.

"Looks like someone is still in the honeymoon phase" Claire teased her son making the man cast the woman a pointed look as Alex took up the good natured ribbing.

"You know it's lucky for Daniel I'm no longer competition."

"For him maybe but put us in a room together I might need to trip you." Natalia joked and the family members all laughed as Alex nodded at the girl and handed her a glass of champagne.

"I like you." She said matter of fact as though her approval was the final deed needed to seal the deal for her and Daniel but Natalia merely laughed and toop a sip of her champagne.

"Give it another hour I'm sure that'll change." The girl joked making Daniel laugh and shake his head.

"I doubt it." The man said tenderly making Natalia blush softly and making Alex hit her brother.

"You two have the hotel to do that, tonight isn't about watching you rape her… It's about watching DJ and his friends' trip over themselves." The mother laughed as her teenage son and his friends all tried their best to look as though they hadn't been ogling the fresh piece of meat that had been placed in their laps and went beck to their video game, though every now and again one or the other would pop their heads back and try to steal a quick glimpse of the woman before turning back excitedly. It was amusing and it did nothing but swell Daniel's ego to know that _he_ had been able to snag Natalia and that she had agreed to come, however last minute she had and he had to believe that that's because he did mean something to her.

The night passed by quickly, The remaining guests had lefts shortly after Daniel had arrived but Natalia had made fast friends with Alex and his mother and thought Daniel had seen and felt Betty and Tyler's presence he didn't dare look. A part of him was angry as hell and he wasn't going to lie the fact that Natalia was soaking up all the attention was something he enjoyed because he knew had Betty been smart this could have been them, has she let Tyler find his own romance that belonged to _him_ Natalia never would have shown up in his life but she was there and damn did she fit well with him.

Had it not been for the late night call two nights ago with the woman agreeing Daniel would have spent his Christmas alone with a bottle of wine and some pizza because being alone would have been better than watching Tyler with a woman that had never loved him and he wasn't so sure Betty had loved anybody, was she as selfish as she had thought Daniel to be? It couldn't be, not miss perfect Betty Suarez who hadn't even been decent enough to say hello to Natalia because she was off getting plastered.

The couple had gone to the guest room for the night and Daniel couldn't have been more glad because though he was glad Natalia had made it a part of the man was starting to wonder if a wine and pizza Christmas in his apartment wouldn't have been better than having to spend a weekend this close to Betty and Tyler and hearing snarky comments from either of them.

"Daniel, earth to Daniel, is it past your bedtime?" He heard Natalia joke and the man couldn't help but glare at the woman playfully,

"Why? You want to tuck me in already."

"Daniel!" Came the sound of Natalia and Claire Meade both unsure of what to do and it made the Meade siblings laugh heartily as Natalia covered her face with her hands.

"I hate you."

"You wish," The man joked making Natalia grin but shake her head as she shoved him making the man lean over and grasp her hand tightly.

"Brittle bones Natalia, brittle bones." He teased before pressing her knuckles up to his lips and standing for a moment.

"I'll be back in a bit going to go check my bags and get ready for bed." He said to no one in particular but they all nodded and Natalia leaned over to press a soft kiss to Daniel's lips, their eyes meeting for a moment and a grin spreading over both their faces before one last kiss and Daniel disappearing into the hallway and up the oak stairs looking for his and Natalia's spare room, leaving Natalia and his mother and sister to their girl talk while he himself checked out to wait for Natalia.

It didn't take long to find his room, the one at the end of the hallway partially opened and darkened but it was the surprise he had when he turned the light on that made the man stop dead in his tracks.

"Betty? What the hell are-"

"So is that how much you loved me Daniel? Three months? So how long have you been sleeping with her? I was such an **idiot** to believe you do you know that?!" Betty spoke harshly and it wasn't difficult to see she'd gotten pretty damn shitfaced by the way she slurred her speech and tilted here and there. A part of Daniel felt self justified in seeing her like this, a part of him was pained to see her pain but damn he was over just pretty damn pissed at this woman for thinking that she had any right to be here, to judge him, to _question_ him.

"Natalia is a lady even _you_ can see that Betty so don't try and label her a whore, she was my friend, she _is_ my friend, and she's my lover because unlike you, I can't play pretend with my emotions, I can't pretend to love someone if I don't." Daniel said and the words came out surprisingly smooth because as angry as he was, Daniel came to the realization that he was _tired._ Tired of waiting for Betty, tired of being her token call boy and bed warmer when Tyler wasn't around, he'd seen the way she was soaking up his attention from the hall so who was she to tell him how he felt? When all he'd done was want something _more_ he deserved that, Natalia gave him that and now because Betty wasn't calling the shots, suddenly he was a liar and what he felt was invalid? All these circles were making Daniel dizzy and he didn't think he had it in him to keep playing these games anymore.

"I love Tyler." Betty said angrily.

"Good. So what do you want from me? To beg for you? To _fuck_ you? What is it that you need from me Betty? Obviously love isn't it, and you know what I'm not willing to love someone who only wants me around when a vibrator doesn't cut it." Daniel spat venomously at Betty and he could see how roughly the words hit her when the tears started spilling from her face and she rushed over to where Daniel was standing but Daniel refused to back down, _he_ wasn't in the wrong he was _done_ being blamed and feeling guilty for this because she was done with him, she'd said as much so what was the problem now?

"Is that what it was to you?" The woman asked, obviously pained and cut deeply by his words.

"That's what it was to _you._" Daniel corrected the woman and he didn't have the time to react before he felt the sharp slap of Betty's hand across his face, the noise echoed through the room and Daniel's face instantly reddened and though it hurt like hell Daniel didn't flinch, didn't get upset, didn't even look away his eyes locked back on Betty's. "Feel better?" The man asked numbly and all Betty could do was seethe and get angrier.

"I **hate** you! Everything was a lie, everything was because you're fucking **spoiled** you couldn't have it your way and you just had to ruin it didn't you?!" Betty's voice began to rise but Daniel remained unfazed by the can of worms that had been opened.

"If that's what you think and that's what you believe and **that** makes you feel better, _fine. _But would you mind leaving now? My girlfriend is going to be tired after tonight." Daniel said numbly before walking away from Betty and heading over to the suitcase waiting on the bed and flipping through it, finding himself a pair of flannel pajama bottoms and his Harvard tee. Daniel looked up to find Betty staring at him, hurt, confused and refusing to be done but she didn't get to say when this was over, not anymore. "Good bye." Was all he said before heading into the adjoining bathroom and locking his door, and though he could feel the pain in his chest at the sight she made, Daniel couldn't do it anymore, he couldn't love someone who would never love him, who only saw his past the way Betty did and in the end he had to believe that this was for the best.

"Betty?" Her voice called from doorway and the light switch turning on hurt something fierce as Betty brought her hands up to her eyes, trying to shield them, trying to hide herself from Claire's concerning gaze, Betty could feel it even from her spot in the middle of the room and Betty knew there was no getting out of this one. Turning slowly Betty heard the soft concerned gasps of Claire Meade and to no surprise Natalia.

"Oh my god, Are you OK honey?" Claire immediately asked and made her way towards Betty as Natalia dug through the clutch in her had pulling out a handkerchief for Claire to hand to Betty.

"Did you get into a fight with Tyler?" Claire asked protectively but Betty shook her head and wiped her eyes.

"I just miss the old days, I miss New York, I miss us all together. I miss being friends" Betty sobbed into Claire and though it was interesting to have found her in Daniel and Natalia's room Claire could only sum it up to her drinking and she nodded softly, petting Betty's hair before leading her out of the bedroom.

"Let's go have some hot cocoa and talk dear." She said reassuringly leaving Natalia by herself in the bedroom closing the door and the young woman couldn't help but to peer out as the hysterical woman was led back down stairs to the darkly lit rooms and heading into the kitchen, truly perplexed as to what it was that had led her to seek her room out to cry in.

The sudden sound of the bathroom door opening and Daniel coming out, looking angry and tired though peeked Natalia's interest as she looked at her boyfriend who looked at her and seemed shocked to find her there as she pointed behind her in the direction his mother had taken Betty in then back at him and closing the door.

"Daniel what the hell happened?" Natalia asked suspiciously as she walked over to her boyfriend her hands resting on his hips the way his wrapped around to rest on the small of her back.

"She just doesn't can't seem to understand, that I'm not the asshole that I used to be." Daniel said with a shrug, his tension subsiding noticeably as he let his hands draw up her spine to the zipper of her dress and pulling it down slowly and though it distracted Natalia mildly and she lifted her hands beneath Daniel's shirt to scrape against the skin of his back softly she still looked confused.

"We heard voices from downstairs and then she was pretty torn up, are you sure?"

"She just can't understand that things can't go back to what they were." Daniel reassured his girlfriend before swooping the zipper of her dress down swiftly and claiming her lips for his own making the woman laugh before she too lifted his shirt over his head and they found their way over to the bed, thoughts of Betty and the past pushed away by the present and undoubtedly, the future.


End file.
